i 4 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



less thickly mottled, spotted, and blotched with 

 varying shades of brown and gray. In summer, 

 vast flocks of Sparrows frequent the hay meadows 

 to live on the seeds of grass and weeds ; and then, 

 as the autumn comes on, the birds, in ever- 

 increasing numbers, devote their unwelcome 

 attentions to the grain-fields, where the damage 

 they do is more than serious. Insects and their 

 larvae are also eaten by the Sparrow, as well as 

 any refuse it can find near our houses, and farm- 

 yards, and on the highways. Every one who has 

 observed the Sparrow can bear testimony to its 

 pugnacious disposition. It always seems ready 

 for a rough-and-tumble fray, and the moment 

 two birds fall out the battle begins to get general, 

 Sparrows flying from everywhere to join in the 

 noisy strife, which often ceases as suddenly as it 

 commenced. We might devote our entire ramble 

 to gossip about the House Sparrow, but with 

 these few remarks we must pass on, although 

 with the observation that he is constantly to be 

 seen on the highways picking about anywhere and 

 everywhere, and even repairing to the dry roads 

 to dust himself. 



Another bird as interesting as he is also a 



dweller on the homesteads, and this is the 



widely STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris}. The Starling: is 



distributed. r > i i i i 11 



one 01 my favourite birds ; his glossy purple and 

 brown plumage, his sprightly ways, his harmless 

 life, the regularity of his movements, and his 

 lively song, all endearing him to me. This bird 

 needs but few words of introduction here. Our 

 attention is usually first attracted to the Starling 

 by his song. A glance upwards generally reveals 

 the bird standing on a chimney-pot, or at the top 



