1 68 SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. 



the perfect insects, are unremittingly sought out 

 and carried to the nest ; and the statistics collected 

 by careful observers on this point reveal an as- 

 tounding diligence on the part of the birds, which 

 is the more commendable inasmuch as it operates 

 directly and materially to man's advantage. Under 

 one Sparrow's nest the rejected wing-cases of cock- 

 chaffers were picked up ; they numbered over 1400 ! 

 Thus one pair of Sparrows had destroyed more 

 than 700 insects to feed a. single brood. 



The great utility of these birds in preventing 

 the devastation committed by cockchaffers was 

 never better illustrated than by what happened 

 some years since in the vicinity of Baden. Here 

 a price was set on the head of the Sparrow, and 

 soon not one was to be found in the neighbourhood. 

 It was subsequently discovered that this bird alone 

 could successfully contend against the cockchaffers 

 and other winged insects ; and the very men who 

 had offered a price for its destruction offered a 

 still higher price to introduce it again into the 

 country. 



The valuable researches of M. Florent Prevost, 

 assistant naturalist at the Paris Museum, fully bear 



