THE SPARROW. 195 



twittering and screaming at the top of their voices, as they whirl about 

 from one spot to another. The nest, which is usually placed in any 

 holes or cavities which will afford it sufficient support or shelter, in 

 the roofs or other parts of buildings, but sometimes in trees and 

 bushes, is composed of hay, straw, moss, and small twigs, and plenti- 

 fully lined with wool, feathers, and other soft materials. It is very 

 closely constructed, and often measures as much as six inches in 

 diameter. 



Sparrows sometimes place their nests in the most curious and appa- 

 rently unsuitable positions. A pair once built in the hollow of the 

 lock attached to the entrance gates of the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum; 

 the fact that these gates were locked and unlocked rarely less than 

 three hundred times in the course of a day, renders the circumstance 

 especially remarkable. The eggs were laid, and the young successfully 

 reared. Another pair built in the mouth of the lion over Northum- 

 berland House, at Charing Cross. Mr. Morris records how a still more 

 extraordinary place was chosen by a north-country couple: "A coal 

 vessel from Newcastle put into Nairn, in Scotland, and while there 

 two sparrows were frequently observed to alight on the top of the 

 vessel's mast, while she remained in port. This occasioned no great 

 surprise to the crew ; but after putting to sea, the two Sparrows were 

 seen 1 following the sloop, and having come up with her, resumed their 

 posts at the top of the mast. Crumbs of bread were scattered upon 

 the deck, with a view of enticing them down, of which they soon 

 availed themselves ; and after eating heartily, they again returned to 

 the mast-head. By the time the vessel had been two days at sea, 

 they became much more familiar, and descended boldly for the purpose 

 of feeding. The voyage was a long one, lasting for some days, when 

 on reaching the river Tyne, to which they were bound, the nest with 

 four young ones was carefully taken down, and being put in the crevice 

 of a ruined house, on the banks of the river, they continued to rear 

 their brood." Another curious situation selected by a pair of those 

 birds was a thorn bush, stuck in the top of a kitchen chimney; here, 

 notwithstanding the smoke that was constantly issuing, the eggs were 

 laid and the young reared. 



The eggs, from four to six in number, are dull greyish or purplish 

 white, spotted with dark grey and brown. The male and female sit 

 alternately on the nest for thirteen or fourteen days, by the end 

 of which time the young are hatched. Three broods are frequently 

 produced in a season. Both parents feed the young on insects, and 

 exhibit the strongest attachment to them. Mr. Graves relates that 

 having noticed a pair of old birds that had built close to his house, 



