278



An Elopement.



Good authorities on natural history, who have studied the

subject scientifically and with observation, tell us that the common

house sparrow always feeds its young on insects, and not grain or

vegetable matter, and that the adults are champions (proved by eye¬

witnesses) at clearing off blight. So, even for that reason alone, to try

and exterminate him would be an act of short-sighted stupidity, to

express it mildly, and this applies also to many other kinds of birds

which are victimised in many a garden where they are doing much

more good than harm. Their reward is death ; not, as it should be, a

little share of the fruit they have helped to save.*



AN ELOPEMENT.


By Hubert D. Astley.


Mrs. Goddard, a member of the Society, tells me of an

interesting episode in connection with a hen bullfinch, which she

had kept in a cage since its childhood and which was extremely

tame, showing great affection to its mistress. In May a wild male

bird appeared one day and sat on the cage, which w r as near the open

window, and Mrs. Goddard, thinking it would be kind to allow her

favourite to mate and rear a brood, opened the cage door.


The hen bird came out as usual, and presently, beguiled by the

vociferous calling of the wild bullfinch in the bushes outside, flew out

to join him, but after a little while returned and came into the room

on to a shoulder of her mistress. But her wooer was not going to

permit any attraction other than himself, and once more returned

to the sill of the window, summoning her and beseeching her to

come away with him. For a moment it looked as if the little hen



* [We fear that sparrows are terribly destructive to grain, and, moreover, drive

away House Martins from their nests. No ! we do not care for them ; but

most strongly deprecate the slaughter of blackbirds, song thrushes, etc. If,

too, to give an instance, adult humans do not know the difference between

a House sparrow and the so-called Hedge sparrow, which is an Accentor

and entirely an insect-eater, it is not likely that children would discrimi¬

nate. Goldfinches, amongst other birds, have been disgracefully thinned

in numbers, a most useful bird for the farmer, and naturally very fearless

in a wild state.—E d.]



