62 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



ones. For them he hunts the fields, the hedges, 

 and the gardens. At the time they most need it, 

 insect-life in all stages, mature and immature, forms 

 food for himself and his family. The aphides, those 

 garden pests, he diligently hunts for, and he carries 

 off a mouthful at a time. In the hay - fields he 

 forages before the grass is mown ; and when the 

 long swathes lie there on the ground is the time 

 to see the sparrows at their best. They go to the 

 fields in flocks to capture the insects that swarm 

 in and about the newly cut grass. There is a small 

 chubby brown beetle, locally known as the hay- 

 chaffer, that they seem remarkably fond of. They 

 will not leave the hay-fields so long as there is a 

 chance of getting one. 



When the corn is ready for cutting, the farm lads 

 are shooting all day long round about the outskirts 

 of the fields, to kill the sparrow and keep him off 

 the wheat, as they say. Now, one harvest time I 

 owned a falcon and two owls. To keep these birds 

 is a matter of care and no small expense, if you wish 

 to see them as they ought to be, in full health and 

 perfect plumage. My pets were not caged ones. 

 To one of those sparrow-killing, or sparrow-scaring 



