228 SPARROWS. 



actually killed, instead of preserved, by the over-zealous 

 kind attentions of his mate. The case occurred in the 

 Spring of 1818, in Surrey. The pair were in search of a 

 place for building their nest ; and the male bird, finding a 

 tempting hole among the tiles of the roof, got into it ; un- 

 fortunately, he became entangled in the broken mortar, and 

 could not force his way back. The female saw his situation, 

 and after flying backwards several times, twittering, and 

 apparently in great distress, attempted to pull him out. 

 Several birds were attracted by the accident, and came flut- 

 tering round, but were beaten off by the hen Sparrow. She 

 then redoubled her own efforts to get him out, and seizing 

 his beak above the nostrils, with her own beak, pulled it so 

 hard that she killed him. She did not appear, however, 

 aware of the mischief she had done, but continued pulling 

 at the dead body of the unfortunate bird, with as much per- 

 severance as if it had been alive. She was, at length, driven 

 away by a person who saw the whole transaction, and with 

 some difficulty extricated the dead bird. Its head was 

 dreadfully mangled, and the beak of the hen had evidently 

 penetrated the brain. About an hour afterwards, a Sparrow, 

 supposed to be this hen, was observed sitting on the very 

 spot where the accident had happened, crouched together, 

 with her feathers all standing up, so as to give her the ap- 

 pearance of a ball, conveying a perfect idea of disconsolate 

 suffering. 



Timid as birds are, attachment to their young will fre- 

 quently change their very nature, and inspire a boldness and 

 confidence in these little creatures, which calls for respect 

 and admiration. What can be more interesting than the 

 affection of the two Linnets we are about to mention ? 

 A nest, containing four young ones, scarcely fledged, was 

 found by some children, who resolved to carry them home for 

 the purpose of rearing and taming the young birds. The old 

 ones, attracted by their chirping, continued fluttering round 

 the children, till they reached the house, when the nest 

 was carried upstairs to the nursery, and placed outside the 

 window. The old birds soon afterwards made their appear- 



