58 ODD HOURS WITH NATURE 



birds could bounce them out of the way. But 

 soon another claimant appeared upon the scene 

 in the person of the starling. Now the starling 

 is about as vulgar a fellow as the sparrow, though 

 a much better humoured vulgarian, and he is twice 

 or three times as strong. The manner in which 

 he dominated this situation was as good as a 

 piece of low comedy. He simply ignored the 

 very existence of his vulgar little brothers. When 

 he arrived to have his peck there was always one 

 of them on the perch ; Master Starling just hopped 

 down on its back as if it were not there, leaving 

 Master Sparrow to find a way out for himself, which 

 he did, ruffled and angry. But though the sparrows 

 must make way for the starling, as a light-weight 

 must make way for a heavy-weight, they are not 

 afraid of him. They sit on the perch beside him 

 waiting till he moves away, and when he tears 

 off more fat than he can get inside his beak all 

 at one time the sparrow next to him complacently, 

 and without evoking any sign of resentment, picks 

 off the projecting morsels. 



