88 SPATJJ1OAV. 



the top of the vessel's mast, while the vessel remained in 

 port. This occasioned no great surprise to the crew; hut 

 after putting* to sea, the two Sparrows were seen following 1 

 the sloop, and having come up with her, resumed their posts 

 at the top of the mast. Crumbs of bread were scattered 

 upon the deck, with a view of enticing them down, of which 

 they soon availed themselves; and after eating heartily, they 

 again returned to the mast head. By the time the vessel 

 had been two days at sea, they became much more familiar, 

 and descended boldly for the purpose of feeding. The 

 voyage was a long one, lasting for some days, when on 

 reaching the Biver Tyne, to which they were bound, the 

 nest with four young ones, was carefully taken down, and 

 being put in the crevice of a ruined house, on the banks of 

 the river, they continued to rear their brood. 



When thus upon the subject of young Sparrows, we may 

 direct attention to the very rapid growth of their feathers 

 in hot weather. In the month of August a young one was 

 taken from a nest, with neither down nor feathers upon it, 

 the rudiments only of plumage being visible under the skin, 

 on the back of the head and along the back; on the sides 

 of the wings, the shafts of the quills had just pierced the 

 skin. Eight days after, another young one was taken from 

 the same nest, covered with feathers, and able to make some 

 use of its wings. Another circumstance is worthy of notice. 

 The old ones had adapted the food to their powers of 

 digestion. The stomach of the first was weak, and filled 

 almost entirely with insects, only one grain of wheat and a 

 few. of sand being found. In the second, the gizzard was 

 become vastly more muscular, and contained nine grains of 

 wheat whole, besides some smaller pieces, the remains of 

 several beetles, and some larger gravel stones.' 



Another singular situation selected by these birds for their 

 nest, was in a thorn bush, stuck, as one sometimes sees 

 done, at the top of a chimney, either as a preventive of 

 smoking, or to check the ingress of any creatures; and 

 although it happened to be a kitchen chimney, and smoke 

 was issuing from it throughout the whole day, there they 

 completed their works of nidification, incubation, and probably 

 of education. Occasionally a hedge is built in. One nest 

 has been found in a passage, where servants were constantly 

 passing and repassing. 



I am informed by Claude A. Lillingston, Esq., of the 



