SOLITARY AND GREGARIOUS. 35 



design of making a captive of one, to take home for 

 the amusement of his children. He cautiously 

 approached, and, springing upon the unsuspicious 

 group, grasped a fine plump fellow in his arms, and 

 was bearing off his prize in triumph, when, lo ! the 

 indignant vulture disgorged such a torrent of filth 

 in the face of our hero as for ever cured him of his 

 inclination for Turkey buzzards*." 



Other gregarious birds, however, may be observed 

 always to have a sentinel stationed near them while 

 feeding, whose office it is to give timely alarm of 

 threatening danger or indications of its approach. 

 When a flock of sparrows, accordingly, alight in the 

 corner of a wheat-field, and, as Bloomfield says, 



" Drop one by one upon the bending corn t," 



we may always be certain of discovering one, or per- 

 haps several, perched on some commanding station 

 in the adjacent hedge-row, prying into the probable 

 design of every movement among men or animals 

 which lies within ken of the watch-tower. The 

 instant the sentinel perceives anything which he 

 deems worthy of notice, he gives his well-known 

 signal, at which the whole flock hurry off from their 

 banquet with the utmost celerity and trepidation. 

 Their fears are, for the most part, only momentary, 

 for as soon as they ascertain that there is no im- 

 mediate danger, they hasten back to finish their 

 meal. 



Sparrows which are denizens of towns and cities 

 act much in the same manner, though they are forced 

 to learn to be, if possible, more quick and cautious 

 than their rural kindred of the farm-yards. The city 

 sparrows, abundant in the very centre of the metro- 

 polis, seldom congregate in very numerous flocks, 



* Araer. Ornith. ix. 98. t Farmer Boy. 



