330 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [11:7— Oct., 1915 



their courts, the most important ores being those in which they 

 congregate under a leader preparatory to taking their long flights, 

 or unite their forces for mutual defence. One instance of this 

 concerted action against a common foe came to my notice that was 

 quite remarkable. A sparrow had taken possession of the nest of 

 a marten, and seemed determined to resist all efl'orts to dislodge 

 him. Safely ensconsed in the little mud house he vigorously 

 defended himself against the owners attacks, and as his sharp 

 beak — which easily can snip a piece from a person's finger — ^was the 

 only part of him visible, he was able to successfully ward off their 

 onslaughts. The martens after a time evidently called a court, for 

 they gathered together on the church spire and a wise old bird set 

 forth a plan that seemed to meet with universal approval, for they 

 almost immediately flew away in groups apparently leaving the 

 sparrow in peaceful possession. In a few moments, however, they 

 returned each marten with his beak full of the sticky clay they 

 use in building their nest, and — much to my astonishment — they 

 flew one after the other in swift succession to the opening of the 

 stolen house, depositing the mud at the entrance and packing it 

 well together, until they had succeeded in completely walling up 

 the nest, sealing the intruder within and burying him alive. 



From far away Smyrna there comes a report of a most curious 

 court of storks, which are deeply reverenced by the Turks and are 

 protected by law, so that they become remarkably tame, building 

 their nests upon the house-tops. A doctor was desirous of sectiring 

 a stork's egg so he took one from a nest and substituted for it a 

 goose egg. In due course of time a gosling was hatched, which 

 seemed an object of great wonderment to his foster parents. Soon 

 afterward the male stork was seen to fly away from the nest and 

 hold an excited consultation with his fellows, and he before long 

 returned accompanied by a number of other birds who set upon 

 the innocent gosling and his guileless foster mother and put them 

 both to death. 



Linnet courts have usually been called only for defense, all the 

 little creatures uniting in great emergencies to protect themselves 

 against a common enemy, crows, cats, or hawks. Sparrows and 

 swallows frequently join forces for the same purpose, a number of 

 them often being seen in pursuit of a hawk in the air; and so 

 persistent and concerted is their attack that the larger bird is 

 usually put to rout completely. 



