SBittiannvn at &mm<itrtt $}aturr. 629 



courting the caresses of the hand that had 

 inflicted the stripes, and asking him again 

 to he received into favour. At the slightest 

 look of encouragement, its joy at the recon- 

 ciliation seems to know no liounds, and is 

 expressed by the liveliest indications of de- 

 light, jumping and fawning ui>on the person 

 of him who had just before been inflicting 

 bodily pain and mental distress capering 

 round him, and barking loudly with ecstasy. 



The SPRINGER is a small and elegant breed, 

 generally red and white, with black nose and 

 palate. In this elegant variety length of 

 ears and a small head are essential points. 

 The WATKR SPANIELS, large and small, 

 differ only from the common Spaniel in the 

 roughness of their coats, and in uniting the 

 aquatic propensities of the Newfoundland 

 Dog with the fine hunting qualities of their 

 own race. The beautiful breed known as 

 King Charles's are highly prized for their 

 diminutive size, length of ears, &c. [See 

 LAV- uoo.] 



SPARROW. The Common or HOITSK- 

 SPAKROW (Pyrgita domcstica) the most fa- 

 miliar representative of the Finch tribe( Frin- 

 gillidcE) is so constantly seen in the vicinity 

 of our habitations, even in the midst of popu- 

 lous cities, that no person can be ignorant of 

 its appearance or habits: although it must be 

 admitted that, as seen in smoky towns, it In 

 difficult to trace that agreeable variety in 

 the plumage which distinguishes the male 

 bird as it hops about among the ricks and 

 mingles with the poultry in the farm-yard. 

 This bird is nearly .-ix inches in length, and 

 of a robust form : bill dusky, eyes hazel ; 

 the top of the head and back part of the 

 neck ash gray ; the throat, fore part of the 

 neck, and space round the eyes black ; the 

 cheeks whitish ; the breast and all the under 

 parts pale ash ; the back, scapulars, and 

 wing-coverts are reddish brown, mixed with 

 black the latter tipped with white, forming 

 a light bar across the wing ; tail brown, 

 edged with gray, and rather forked ; legs 

 pale brown. The plumage of the female is 

 plainer and duller than that of the male ; 



cicty, and live at its expense : granaries, 

 barns, court-yards, pigeon-houses, and all 

 places, in short, where grain is scattered, 

 being their favourite resorts. Their voracity 

 is extreme ; they are inconveniently familiar, 

 and their incessant and monotonous note is 

 fatiguing to the ear. But if Buffon's estimate 

 be true that a pair of Sparrows will destroy 

 about 4000 caterpillars weekly in feeding 

 their young, there is good reason to suppone 

 that they sufficiently repay the trivial 

 damage they may cause either in the garden 

 i or the field. The Sparrow builds under the 

 | eaves of houses, in holes of walls, &c. ; the 

 ; nest being mode of hay, and lined with 

 j feathers. The female lays five or six eggs 

 of a reddish white, spotted with brown j and 

 has generally three broods in the year. 



The following characteristic observations 

 ! on the habits of this well-known bird arc 

 from the pen of Mr. Knapp : "A dispensa- 

 tion that exists throughout creation is 

 i brought more immediately to our notice by 

 I the domestic habits of this bird. The na- 

 I tural tendency that the Sparrow has to in- 

 I erwe t 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 com- 

 monly 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 plunder ; and they 

 roost protected from all the injuries of wea- 

 ther. These circumstances tend greatly to 

 increase the race, and in some seasons their 

 numbers in our corn-fields towards autumn 

 are prodigious ; and did not events coun- 

 teract the increase of this army of plunderers, 

 the larger portion of our bread corn would 

 be consumed by them. But their reduction 

 is as rapidly accomplished as their increase, 

 their love of association bringing upon them 

 a destruction, which a contrary habit would 

 not tempt." The common Sparrow is found 

 ir. all parts of Europe, and almost throughout 

 the eastern continent, supporting equally 

 well severe cold and extreme heats. America 

 is, however, free from it ; but they have, in its 

 place, the CHIRPING SPARROW, a delicate 

 bird, almost as familiar, but nowise intrusive. 



The TREE SPARROW, or MOUNTAIX SPAR- 

 ROW (Pyrgita montana\ is somewhat less 

 than the common Sparrow : the bill is thick 

 beyond each eye there is a line of white, and and block ; the crown of the head and hinder 

 she has no black patch on the throat. Spar- part of the neck chestnut brown ; sides of 

 rows are bold and crafty ; and their partiality the head white ; throat and auriculars black ; 

 U/ the vicinage of man does not originate , the greater quills are black, bordered with 

 from uny social affection on their part, but : rust-colour ; the lesser coverts of the wings 

 because their chief subsistence is there most of a bright bay colour, spotted with black, 

 abundantly to be found. They follow so- j and crossed with two white bars ; breast and 



3 B 3 



