THE SPARROW. 69 



become scarce, the corn and seeds of various kinds are 

 ready, and on these they feed with equal readiness. 

 Here is a poet's plea in behalf of this bird: — 



" Touch not the little sparrow, who doth build 

 His home so near us. He doth follow us 

 From spot to spot, amidst the turbulent town, 

 And ne'er deserts us. To all other birds 

 The woods suffice, the rivers, the sweet fields. 

 And nature in her aspect mute and fair ; 

 But he doth herd with man. Blithe servant ! live, 

 Feed and grow cheerful ! On my window's ledge 

 I '11 leave thee every morning some fit food, 

 In payment of thy service. Doth he serve ? 

 Ay, serves and teaches. His familiar voice, 

 His look of love, his sure fidelity. 

 Bids us be gentle with so small a friend; 

 And much we learn from acts of gentleness. 

 Doth he not teach ? — Ay, and doth serve us too, 

 Who clears our homes from many a toilsome thing, 

 Insect or reptile." 



Sparrows make no hasty and careless provision for 

 the future : on the contrary, they build in places where 

 they are likely to be perfectly safe from the plunder of 

 larger birds and vermin. Thus they often rear their 

 nests high in the elm, and beneath that of the rook, a 

 bird of totally different habits, and with which they do 

 not associate, making use of the structure only for a 

 defence, to which no other bird resorts ; and display, b}'- 



