62 REV. H. N. BONAR ON THE DECREASE 
bullying and ill-treatment. For five weeks the contest 
went on, till at last, when the nest was almost finished, a 
pair of sparrows (who could not enter the box itself) took 
sentry-duty by turns—one sitting on the entrance perch 
while the other fed—and finally drove the tits away. 
But the tragedy of the Oxeyes (Parus major) showed me 
more clearly than anything else the ruffianly character of 
the sparrow. 
One of my nesting-boxes was a hollowed log with a 
wider aperture, to encourage the larger tits to build in it. 
This they did, for, strange to say, the sparrows at that time 
offered no resistance to them. Their first clutch of five eggs 
proved infertile; but, laying again, they hatched out four 
young ones in the end of June. I transcribe the following 
from one of my note-books:—‘July 17, 1898—Pair of 
sparrows noticed all day about oxeyes’ nest.” “July 18.— 
First thing in the morning, noticed angry chattering of 
oxeyes, and saw hen-sparrow sitting on nest-perch; cock- 
sparrow combating oxeyes, who, with green caterpillars in 
beaks, tried vainly to get into nest and feed young. [ 
stoned sparrows away and relieved the siege. Later on 
things grew worse, and I had to stand near nest again and 
again to let the parents enter it. At midday saw hen- 
sparrow come out of nesting-log. The young tits (evidently 
suffering from hunger) call clamorously. They can only 
be fed when I am near.” “July 19.—Looked out of window 
first thing in morning. Oxeyes very remonstrative. Spar- 
rows evidently having the upper hand. After breakfast 
went to nest and saw hen-sparrow come out. Presently I 
found one young oxeye dead on the ground, directly under 
the nest. Retired and watched. Saw cock-oxeye come 
repeatedly with a caterpillar in his mouth, and perch in 
hedge under the nest. Approached cautiously and found 
him trying to offer the food to another dead young one, 
which, in its fall from the nest, had been caught in the 
hedge. The sparrows were vociferously mobbing him all 
the time. Got ladder and examined nest—empty. Watched 
carefully, and eventually found parents feeding one three- 
quarter-fledged oxeye in thick privet hedge. What became 
of the fourth I know not.” “July 20.—Sparrows going 
