148 THE FEATHERED RACE. 



toward others from long association, or from un- 

 known, undefined causes. I tolerate, in despite of 

 all their noise and all their litter, a colony of rooks, 

 which have taken a liking to some tall elms near 

 my dwelling. Not being ancient denizens there, 

 they can claim no hereditary rights ; but their con- 

 trivances, their regularity, and even their squabbles, 

 are amusing ; and, perhaps, there is mingled with 

 this some little compassion for these dark, half- 

 domesticated families of the grove, driven by the 

 axe from an old abode, which may influence my 

 forbearance. 



The hedge sparrow, or shufflewing (motacilla 

 modularis), is a prime favourite. Not influenced 

 by season or caprice to desert us, it lives in our 

 homesteads and our orchards through all the year, 

 our most domestic bird. In the earliest spring, it 

 intimates to us, by a low and plaintive chirp, and 

 that peculiar shake of the wing which at all times 

 marks this bird, but then is particularly observable, 

 the approach of the breeding season, for it appears 

 always to live in pairs, feeding and moving in com- 

 pany with each other. It is nearly the first bird 

 that forms a nest; and this being placed in an 

 almost leafless hedge, with little art displayed in its 

 concealment, generally becomes the booty of every 

 prying boy ; and the blue eggs of the hedge spar- 

 row are always found in such numbers on his string, 

 that it is surprising how any of the race are remain- 

 ing, especially when we consider the many casualties 

 to which the old birds are obnoxious from their 



