THE TREE SPARROW. 197 



do good service in destroying the earwigs and other pests that hide 

 among the petals of the dahlias, polyanthuses, and other plants. They 

 also devour large quantities of slugs and snails. 



The note of the Sparrow is a monotonous and rather harsh and 

 shrill chirp; when a number of individuals are collected on a tree or 

 house-top, the effect of their united voices is by no means agreeable 

 to the ears of man, although they themselves for aught we know may 

 regard the result of their efforts as most harmonious and delightful. 



A curious anecdote of the Sparrow is related in the "Naturalist's 

 Magazine." "A lady, living in Chelsea, was extremely fond of birds, 

 of which she kept a considerable number in cages. Amongst others 

 she had a Canary, which was a particular favourite, but the loudness 

 of his note often obliged her to put him outside of her window, in 

 some trees which were trained up in the front of her house. One 

 morning, during breakfast, when the cage was there placed, a Sparrow 

 was observed to fly round about it, then perch upon the top, and 

 twitter to the bird within, between whom and itself a sort of conver- 

 sation seemed to ensue. After a few moments he flew away, but 

 returned in a short time, bearing a worm or small grub in his bill, 

 which he dropped into the cage, and immediately flew away. Similar 

 presents were received day after day, at the same time, by the Canary 

 from his friend the Sparrow, with whom at length he became so 

 intimate that he very often received the food thus brought into his 

 own bill from that of the Sparrow. The circumstance attracted the 

 notice of the lady's neighbours, who often watched these daily visits; 

 and some of them, to try the extent of the Sparrow's kindness, also 

 hung their birds out at the window, when they found them also fed; 

 but the first and longest visit was always paid by the Sparrow to his 

 original friend." 



THE TREE SPARROW, 



{Passer mon/anus.) 

 PLATK XII. FIGDRE VIT. 



THE Tree or Mountain Sparrow very closely resembles the common 

 species, but may be very readily distinguished by its smaller size. 

 It is a common bird in Holland, France, Spain, and Italy, and is 



