SPARROWS. 243 



bird attached to any particular individuals in a family, 

 will always express delight when they approach, and 

 greet them with his well-known air, hopping towards 

 them on his perch, and practising all his little coaxing 

 ways. An interesting story was once told by Sir Wil- 

 liam Parsons, who was himself a great musician, and who, 

 when a young man, possessed a Piping Bullfinch, which 

 he had taught to sing " God save the King." On his 

 once going abroad, he gave his favourite in charge to a 

 sister, with a strict injunction to take the greatest care 

 of it. On his return, one of his first visits was to her, 

 when she told him that the poor little bird had been 

 long in declining health, and was at that moment very 

 ill. Sir William, full of sorrow, went into the room 

 where the cage was, and, opening the door, put in his 

 hand, and spoke to the bird. The bird remembered 

 his voice, opened his eyes, shook its feathers, staggered 

 on to his finger, piped " God save the King," and fell 

 dead! 



It is often remarked, What impudent birds are Lon- 

 don Sparrows ! and not without reason. Born and bred 

 in the bustle of the town, they must either live and jostle 

 with the crowd, or look down from the house-tops and 

 die of hunger. Naturally enough, they prefer the former; 

 and every one of our London readers will, we are sure, 

 testify to the cool intrepidity with which this familiar 

 bird will pounce upon a bit of bread, or some other 

 tempting morsel, which happens to catch its eye upon 

 the pavement, and with what triumph and exultation it 

 bears it off to its mate, seated on some window-sill or 

 coping-stone above, or followed, perhaps, by three or 

 four disappointed companions, who were a moment too 

 late in seizing the spoil. Then for his nest : while 

 other birds must select their own accustomed spots, the 

 similar tree or bush, the same materials, &c., the Spar- 

 row, like a bird who knows the world, is everywhere at 

 home, and ready to establish himself wherever chance 

 may happen to place him. If he lives remote from 



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