Finches. 1 5 7 



bird : it has no pretensions to a song, though Mr. 

 Kidd has declared that if taken from the nest and 

 properly taught, it will sing as well as a Canary ; and 

 is so pert and restless, and so given to thieving pro- 

 pensities, that it does not engage our affection. Both 

 the male and female Sparrow are said, however, to be 

 very careful and affectionate parents, and they will 

 become attached to any one who bestows kindness 

 and pains upon them. One who was tamed by a sick 

 man at Paris followed his master everywhere, till he 

 became too ill to leave his bed, and then it refused 

 to leave him. It had a little bell round its throat, 

 and was very unhappy when deprived of it, till an- 

 other was put on. 



The Sparrow has a most accommodating appetite, 

 and will eat all kinds of food meat, vegetables, seeds, 

 caterpillars, insects, and any kind of garbage. 



Few people would care to keep a Sparrow in a cage, 

 but it is often an inmate of an aviary or bird-room, 

 where it must be a great torment from its pilfering 

 propensities. It should have a mixture of seed and 

 insect food, or the Nightingale's paste would do for it. 

 But it is a pleasanter bird to have as a familiar visitor, 

 frequenting the basket of fat and bread crumbs pro- 

 vided for our outdoor friends, than to keep in captivity. 

 The Sparrow is subject to variations of plumage. A 

 white Sparrow is not uncommon. 



The TREE SPARROW (Fringilla montana or Passer 



