PASSER DOMESTICUS. 393 



the garden wall opposite, apparently, like man, having no qnalm 

 of conscience of robbing his kinsman. On June 3rd, 1880, 

 I saw a sparrow catch a large moth, too big to swallow, so, like 

 the shark with a negro, it broke off its wings, then bolted the 

 body, proving that sparrows prey on insects, as larger birds do 

 upon them — the strong preying on the weak, even in human 

 society. On July 18th, 1880, when standing at the old Town 

 Kirk, I heard a prolonged chirr from one of the trees within 

 the railing, and saw a jackdaw with a sparrow clutched by one 

 foot, and dabbing its head with its beak till the chirr was 

 hushed by death. I went closer ; the daw flew off, bearing its 

 victim in its claws — the same as I have seen a hawk do. When 

 at Leuchars one day I went to see the big trout which had lived 

 in a deep well for years — I saw a sparrow floating head down- 

 wards. On hauling it up I pulled the trout half out of the 

 water with it. The sparrow had been drinking when the trout 

 seized it and held on. So here was the biter of the moth not 

 only bit but drowned, reminding me of Tennyson, who says — 



" The mayfly is torn by the swallow, 

 The sparrow is speared by the shrike, 

 And the whole little woods where I sit 

 Is a world of plunder and prey." 



The sparrow is a brave little bird ; none of his size will beat 

 him. On 6th April 1888 I saw a mavis building in a garden — 

 like France in Siam ; a sparrow eyed the materials, and when 

 the mavis was away for more took them to build her own nest. 

 This went on till a struggle took place for mastery ; the sparrow 

 won. The mavis gave in, and let impudence or pertinacity 

 plunder at will. On June 26th, on coming round by the 

 harbour, near the gas tank, I saw a young sparrow fall from the 

 old Abbey Wall. A cat passed at the time, but did not observe 

 the young bird. The old cock, however, flew down and dashed 

 at the cat's head, screaming at such a rate that the big cat was 

 terrified, crouched, held "back its ears, and slunk away like a 

 beaten hound. I noted this at the time as a proof of the 

 sparrow's courage. I flung the young one over the wall for 

 safety. The following account of a fight between a cock sparrow 

 and a mouse will also show the pugnacity of our plucky little 

 friend : — 



"A sparrow, daily in the habit of picking up crumbs thrown out from a 

 room of a sporting resort in London, was interrupted by a hungry mouse, 

 which attacked the sparrow, and seizing the largest bit of bread was 



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