288 BIRDS IN LONDON 



for most of the time without a perch ; but we 

 see that even in districts where trees are few 

 and far between the sparrows' meeting-place 

 or ' chapel ? is invariably a tree. The young 

 sparrow has not yet acquired this convenient 

 habit of the adults ; he is a tree sparrow, 

 incapable of sitting quietly, like the young 

 swallow or martin, on a roof or ledge to be fed 

 there by the parent birds. His perching feet 

 must lay hold of something ; and when he can- 

 not, so to speak, anchor himself he is ill at ease, 

 even on the wide surface of a flat roof, and 

 fidgets and hops this way and that, possibly 

 experiencing a sensation as of falling or of 

 being thrown off his stand. It is to escape 

 from this unsuitable flat surface that he flutters 

 or flies off and comes down. This happens 

 when no tree stands conveniently near ; when 

 there is a tree beneath or close by the young 

 sparrow makes for it instinctively, as a duckling 

 to water ; and if he succeeds in reaching it he 

 shows at once that he has found relief, and is 

 content to remain where he is. It is most 

 interesting to watch a brood of young sparrows 

 just out of the nest settling down on the top- 

 most twigs of a tree, which thev have been 



