6o BIRDS OF THE WAVE AND WOODLAND 



"on loud-applauding wing," quits its perch. Hardly a 

 country walk can then be taken without seeing, either feeding 

 on the ground, at rest, or on watch upon the trees or flying 

 overhead, the handsome bird, in its plumage of lavender-blue, 

 that seems so wild, and yet can be tamed sooner almost than 

 any bird but the robin. 



It is an odd fact that the civilised sparrow, the most 

 coolly familiar of birds, is the most difficult to make tame. 

 The fact is, it is naturally vulgar, and no gentle influences 

 can ameliorate the naturally vulgar. When at liberty, it 

 will take all the liberties it can and dares ; when shut up, 

 even if from the nest, it develops into a voracious idiot ; 

 never amenable to kindness, always ferocious for food. 



Yet the wood-pigeon, one of the wildest and shyest 

 of birds, will soon become tame, will feed from the hand, 

 and when the miserable, suspicious sparrow rushes into 

 hiding, will sit in the aviary unconcerned and confident of 

 friendship. 



But note this curious difference. The sparrow in an aviary 

 will breed, lay its eggs, and bring up its young ones, without 

 any difficulty. The ring-dove may walk about at nesting- 

 time with twigs in its mouth, may lay eggs, but let the 

 aviary be never so large, it will not hatch its eggs. 



This contradiction in character is very extraordinary, 

 and yet, if considered, there is no irregularity in it. The 

 sparrow builds simply because it will build anywhere, and is 



