246 SPARROWS. 



note often obliged her to put him outside of her window, 

 in some trees which were trained up in front of her 

 house. One morning, during breakfast, when the cage 

 was there placed, a Sparrow was observed to fly round 

 about it, then perch upon the top, and twitter to the 

 bird within, between whom and itself a sort of conversa- 

 tion seemed to ensue. After a few moments he flew 

 away, but returned in a short time, bearing a worm or 

 small grub in his bill, which he dropped into the cage, 

 and immediately flew away. Similar presents were re- 

 ceived day after day, at the same time, by the Canary, 

 from his friend the Sparrow, with whom, at length, he 

 became so intimate, that he very often received the food, 

 thus brought, into his own bill, from that of the Spar- 

 row. The circumstance attracted the notice of the 

 lady's neighbours, who often watched these daily visits ; 

 and some of them, to try the extent of the Sparrow's 

 kindness, also hung their birds out at the window, when 

 they found them also fed : but the first and longest visit 

 was always paid by the Sparrow to his original friend 

 the Canary. 



"Though thus intimate and social with his own kind, 

 it was observed that this Sparrow was exceedingly shy 

 and timid with respect to human beings ; for, though 

 many were witnesses to the above, they were obliged to 

 keep at a distance, and use great caution, otherwise he 

 immediately flew away. This attention was carried on 

 throughout the Summer, and extended to the beginning 

 of Autumn, when the visits entirely ceased, whether in- 

 tentionally on the part of the Sparrow, or that he met 

 with some accident, could not be ascertained." 



That they will attend to their young far beyond .the 

 usual period, in case of necessity, the following anecdote 

 will prove, though we believe many, if not most birds, 

 will do the same, under similar circumstances ; the expe- 

 riment may be easily tried, by slightly tying the wings of 

 young birds, when nearly fledged, or confining them by 

 a thread to the bottom of the nest, taking care not to 



