72 BRITISH BIRDS. 



a paper bag, he described it as a Virginia nightingale, 

 and as singing most melodiously, while its appearance 

 was not a little attractive. Its head and neck were of 

 a bright vermilion, the back betwixt the wings was 

 blue, the lower part to the tail a bright yellow, the 

 wings red and yellow, the belly a clear green, and in 

 the tail many colours were blended. He said it was 

 well worth a sovereign to any person, but after much 

 bidding for so great a rarity, he disposed of it at last for 

 five shillings ; and as soon as he had got rid of the rest 

 of his birds, he departed. Some time after, a neighbour 

 came in, who soon found out that the party had been 

 duped, and that the Virginia nightingale was only a 

 hedge-sparrow cunningly painted. Often, however, do 

 the fraudulent outwit themselves, and that deservedly. 

 The man who played this trick, in all probability soon 

 resorted to other dishonest means of obtaining money, 

 and found the justice which he now contrived to evade. 



Sometimes the increase of sparrows is very great, and 

 the numbers of these visitants to our corn-fields are 

 prodigious They love association, but this instinct 

 prepares for the destruction of multitudes. As they 

 roost in troops amidst the ivy on the walls, or ricks, 

 and in similar situations, they are captured by the net ; 

 as they cluster on the bush, or crowd by the barn-door 



