THE CAT QUESTION 289 



lucky enough to reach, and remaining there for 

 hours at a stretch, dozing secure in the sun and 

 wind, even when the wind is strong enough 

 to rock the tree, and only opening their eyes 

 and rousing themselves at intervals on the 

 appearance of one of the parent birds with food 

 in its bill. 



In a large majority of cases the London 

 sparrow has no tree growing conveniently near 

 to the breeding hole, and the consequence is 

 that an incredible number of broods are lost. 

 The parent birds, when a whole brood has thus 

 been snapped up, after a day or two of excite- 

 ment cheerfully set to work relining the old 

 nest with a few straws, feathers, and hairs. 

 From March to August, some to October, 

 they are occupied with this business, and 

 I do not think that more than two young 

 birds survive out of every dozen of all the 

 sparrows that breed in houses ; for with the 

 park birds the case is different. As it is, the 

 birds that escape their subtle enemy are more 

 than enough to make good the annual losses 

 from all other causes. In the streets, back- yards, 

 and gardens an ailing sparrow is, like the inex- 

 perienced young bird, quickly snapped up. In 



