284 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of IrelancL 



than once trampled clown the grain to look after the fallen 

 birds, which were then rejoicing afar off at their escape. When 

 the wages of this sportsman and the value of ammunition he 

 expended, together with the grain destroyed by him, are consi- 

 dered, there can be little doubt that the amount of damage 

 which the sparrows could have done (and nevertheless did 

 in this case do) must be trivial in comparison. Doubtless 

 there have been similar cases. Many well-attested accounts 

 have been ])ublished of the destruction of crops by insects in 

 consequence of small birds, and sparrows in particular, being 

 destroyed for their pilfering propensities ; and when lately in 

 France I was made acquainted with a recent instance of this 

 kind. In the fine rich district of Burgundy lying to the 

 south of Auxerre, and chiefly covered with vine3^ards, small 

 birds had been some time before destroyed in great numbers. 

 An extraordinary increase of caterpillars, &c. soon became ap- 

 parent, and occasioned such immense damage to the crops, 

 that a law was passed prohibitory of the future destruction of 

 the birds. 



The boldness and impudence of sparrows in obtruding 

 themselves everywhere are somewhat redeemed by the comi- 

 cality of their manners. Every one must have remarked in- 

 stances of this. I was once much amused by observing a 

 sparrow literally '^' dancing attendance " on a pet squirrel, 

 during his breakfasting on bread in the wheel of his cage ; 

 the sparrow hopping about all the AA'hile and eagerly picking 

 up the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. 



The freedom from all fear on the part of sparrows is par- 

 ticularly manifest in their feeding close to animals of all 

 kinds in zoological gardens. They make themselves quite at 

 home too in the company of the most gorgeous-plumaged 

 birds : I recollect them regularly breaking through the meshes 

 of a net (merely large enough to admit their bodies) covering 

 over an aviary in which a friend kept a number of golden 

 pheasants, that they might feed along with them. Under 

 date of June 27th is a note in my journal to the effect that 

 the cock-sparrow has quite gained on my affections of late 

 by the assiduity with which he feeds his progeny. 1 have 

 observed several of them on the highway attended by their 

 young, generally three in number, and which, with quivering 

 wings, besought and followed them for food, and never in 

 vain. The pai-ents too, by their fine erect carriage — which 

 even cock-sparrows can assume — evidently showed much 

 pride in their progeny. 



The sparrow, though not an early rising bird, is awake be- 

 times, and as a colony will keep chattering for perhaps an 



