ANALOGIES OF THE HEDGE-SPARROW. 2Q3 



ago placed the hedge-sparrow in the genus Accentor, 

 in which he has been followed hy all succeeding orni- 

 thologists : this genus, preceded by Trichas, and fol- 

 lowed by Parus, is found to occupy a station in its own 

 circle precisely corresponding to that of the rasorial 

 type of birds, which it therefore represents. 



(356.) But as a diagram will bring these comparisons 

 more immediately before the eye of the reader, we sub- 

 join the following : the dotted lines showing the mutual 

 analogy of the respective groups. 



Insessores Parus 



Natatores Setophaga 



All these relations of analogy will be found substan- 

 tiated, not merely by external structure, but by natural 

 habits and economy. Our present enquiry, however, 

 is entirely confined to the demonstration of the latter, 

 and simply as regards the fact of the analogy between the 

 hedge-sparrow and the rasorial type of the class of birds. 

 Bearing in mind, therefore, the characters already 

 given to this type (317-)> let us now trace in what way 

 nature has exhibited them in this instance ; so that the 

 hedge-sparrow should represent, symbolically, the Ra- 

 sores, or the gallinaceous order of birds. 



(357-) The rasorial races, of all birds, are the most 

 familiar, the most domestic, and the most fearless of 

 man : this is their chief characteristic ; and this is 

 equally true of the hedge-sparrow j of all our warblers 

 (with the exception of the robin, also a rasorial type), 

 it is the most familiar ; it pecks about our window with 

 a certain degree of humble confidence and trusting secu- 

 rity which is seen in no other of its family j it is, in short, 

 u 3 



