SPARROW ii 



the first course should be wire-worm and the second 

 wheat. 



The occasional addition of a second name is a distinc- 

 tion which the sparrow shares with many birds. The 

 redbreast is always Robin. We are so accustomed to Tom 

 tit, Mag pie, Jack daw, that we forget that these birds 

 were differently christened. We associate with Eobin 

 the name of Jenny wren. The countryman is familiar 

 with Peggy whitethroat ; and, perhaps in tribute to its 

 graceful air and the tasteful arrangement of its colour- 

 ing, the redstart is Jenny, Fanny, Bessie, or Katie, 

 according to the fancy of the particular district. Several 

 plain-coloured birds are called Isaac a curious epithet, 

 explained by a passage in Chaucer, where the hedge- 

 sparrow is called heysugge. Sally picker is a name 

 given in Ireland to several small warblers. Here Sally 

 is clearly a corruption of sallow, a willow-tree. 



The sparrow's ancient title of Philip has long been 

 dropped. The estimation in which he is commonly held 

 precludes altogether the use of any real pet word for 

 him. There are few allusions to him in the poets. No 

 pleasant legend clings about his name. In his busy life 

 there would have been no room for the kind offices 

 performed by pitying robins for the Babes in the Wood. 

 It is to be feared that his bold unhesitating answer to 

 the question, "Who killed Cock Robin?" is more in 

 keeping with his character. 



The nests of birds are for the most part occupied only 

 in the spring time. The structure on which such care 

 and skill were lavished is tenanted for a few short 



