64 T H E S P A R R O W K 1 N D. 



its moft rapid flight. It frequently happens that if half a flock only are 

 caught, the remaining half will immediately afterwards alight between the 

 nets, and fhare the fate of their companions ; or fhould only one bird 

 efcape, this unhappy furvivor will alfo venture into danger till it is 

 caught J fuch a fafcinating power have the call-birds. 



It is not eafy to account for the nature of this call, whether it be a 

 challenge to combat, an invitation to food, or to courtfhip j whether^ 

 their motives be gallantry or war, the fmall birds are equally remark- 

 able for both. 



For however contemptible thefe little warriors are to larger creatures, 

 they are often formidable to each other ; and fometimes fight till one of 

 them yields up his life with the viftory. Sometimes two male birds fhall 

 ftfive in fong till, after a long ftruggle, the loudeft fliall entirely filencc 

 the other. During thefe contentions, the female fits a filent auditor, and 

 often rewards the loudeft fongfter with her company during the feafon. 

 Singing among birds is almoft univcrfally the prerogative of the male j 

 it ferves as a blandifhment at firft ; as delight to her during the time of 

 incubation j as fecurity, to aflAire her that no danger threatens ; for if 

 danger offers, the male itops fuddenly, as ^ fignal to his mate to provide 

 for her fecurity. 



Willoughby has divided the fmaller birds into (i.) thofe that have flender 

 bills, and (2.) thofe that have fliort and thick bills. Thofe with flender 

 bills chiefly live on infeds j thofe with fliort, fl:rong bills, live moftly 

 on fruits and grain. Among flender-billed birds, he enumerates the 

 thrufli, the blackbird, the fieldfare, the fl:arling, the lark, the titmoufe, 

 the water-wagtail, the nightingale, the red-ftart, the robin red-breaft:, the 

 beccafigo, the ftonechatter, the whinchat, the goldfinch, the whitethroar, 

 the hedge-fparrow, the pettichaps, the golden-crowned wren, the wren, 

 the humming-bird, and feveral others of the fparrow kind unknown in 

 this parr of the world, 



Thefe feek and defl:roy the eggs of infers that would otherwife propa- 

 gate in numbers beyond the arts of man to extirpate : they know better 

 than man where to leek for them ; and thus at once fatisfy their own 

 appetites, and render him the mod efliential fervices. In this tribe, we 

 have the fweetefh fongfters of the grove, the nightingale, the thrufli, the 

 blackbird, the lark, the red-breaft, the black-cap, and the wren. 



Birds of the fparrow kind, with thick and fliort bills, are the grofsbeak, 

 the crofibili, the greenfinch, the builfinch, the houfe-fparrow, the chaf- 

 finch, the brambling, the goldfinch, the linnet, the fiikin, the buntingv 



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