lakable signs of affection for his friends, greeting them 

 with a peculiar chirp, fluttering his wings, and trying 

 to get out of his cage if he is shut up, and as soon as 

 the door is open flying to them, settling on their hands, 

 arms, and shoulders, conversing with them after his 

 own fashion, refusing to leave them, and if put down 

 anywhere flying back to them at once. He was 

 especially attached to the nurse, who fed him and 

 looked after him a great deal in his early days. About 

 four years ago the nurse left and she had not had an 

 opportunity of revisiting her charges till quite recently. 

 Of course she went to see the bird and he recognised 

 her immediately and greeted her with great effusion. 

 As soon as he saw her he tried to get out of his cage, 

 and on the door being opened flew to her, chirping and 

 fluttering his wings and in every way exhibiting un- 

 mistakable signs of pleasure. In fact his recollection 

 of her did not appear a bit less vivid after nearly four 

 years interval than if she had only been away for a 

 week. I don't know whether instances of recollection 

 for such a long period as four years are common among 

 birds ; I should not have been surprised if it had 

 occurred in a Parrot or in one of the corvidcs, as we all 

 know many stories of exceptional intelligence in these 

 birds, but I have not heard of any very remarkable 

 qualities in Sparrows beyond their vigour, hardihood, 

 and what is often called impudence. No doubt their 

 survival in large numbers in cities where the conditions 

 appear unfavourable to them and the struggle for exist- 

 ence must be acute, points to their possession of special 

 qualities ; amongst them we may probably reckon in- 

 telligence to be the chief. But they do not possess 

 the attractions of colour and song which might have 



