206 LECTURE XYI. 



symptoms of fear. I myself have seen two 

 canary-birds placed on a table, one with a 

 lighted match in its foot, with which it fired off 

 a small cannon at the other, which fell down as 

 if it were dead, and remained so for some time, 

 and then rose up quite merry. I have reason 

 to believe that these birds are taught without 

 any cruelty : indeed, I should be sorry to think 

 that any was inflicted on them. 



I must confess that the sparrow is a favourite 

 bird of mine, not for his song or his beauty, but 

 because he is a sort of domestic bird, inhabiting 

 the dwellings of both rich and poor, but prefer- 

 ring the humble thatched cottage to a palace. 

 It is said of some waterfowl that they always 

 remain within soundings, thus warning the 

 mariner of his approach to land ; so, if a person 

 lost himself on a dreary mountain, and saw a 

 sparrow, he would know that he was near some 

 habitation. 



Sparrows are very affectionate birds; they 

 have been known to feed the hungry and 

 deserted young ones of other birds. On one 

 occasion a sparrow got his feet entangled by 

 a piece of string, which he had carried to the 

 eaves of a house, and was unable to extricate 



