THE COMMON SPARROW. 



the gardener might find much benefit, in his ensuing 

 crop of fruit, from the forbearance. 



We have no bird, I believe, more generally 

 known, thought of, or mentioned with greater in- 

 difference, perhaps contempt, than the common 

 sparrow (fringilla domestica), u that sitteth alone 

 on the house-top ;" yet it is an animal that Nature 

 seems to have endowed with peculiar character- 

 istics, having ordained for it a very marked pro- 

 vision, manifested in its increase and maintenance, 

 notwithstanding the hostile attacks to which it is 

 exposed. A dispensation that exists throughout 

 creation is brought more immediately to our notice 

 by the domestic habits of this bird. The natural 

 tendency that the sparrow has to increase, will often 

 enable one pair of birds to bring up fourteen or 

 more young ones in the season. They build in 

 places of perfect security from the plunder of larger 

 birds and vermin. Their art and ingenuity in 

 commonly attaching their nests beneath that of the 

 rook, high in the elm, a bird whose habits are 

 perfectly dissimilar, and with which they have no 

 association whatever, making use of their structure 

 only for a defence to which no other bird resorts, 

 manifest their anxiety and contrivance for the safety 

 of their broods. With peculiar perseverance and 

 boldness, they forage and provide for themselves 

 and their offspring ; will filch grain from the trough 

 of the pig, or contend for its food with the gigantic 

 turkey ; and, if scared away, their fears are those 

 of a moment, as they quickly return to their plun- 



P 2 



