BIRDS OF THE FAKM AND THE FARM-YARD. 



IT is not easy to explain why certain species of birds 

 and other animals are susceptible of domestication, while 

 others resist all efforts to inure them to artificial habits. 

 The mystery is increased when we consider that individ- 

 uals of a species which cannot be domesticated may, 

 when reared in a cage, be made as tame as the tamest 

 of our domestic birds. There are certain families of 

 which several species have been domesticated. This is 

 true of the Gallinaceous tribe and of the Anseres. Of 

 the former are the Cock, the Turkey, the Pintado, the 

 Peacock. Of the Anseres, there are two or three species 

 of Goose and several species of Duck. Several of the 

 Pigeon tribe may be domesticated. The Rook and the 

 House Sparrow of England may also be regarded as in 

 a state of at least partial domestication. The species 

 among our birds that comes nearest the Rook in its hab- 

 its is the Purple Grackle. That, as population thickens, 

 the Grackles will assume more and more of the habits of 

 a domestic bird, seems not improbable, especially if they 

 should be protected for their valuable services to agri- 

 culture. 



THE HOUSE SPARROW. ' 



I am not entirely free from suspicions that by natural- 

 izing the House Sparrow in this country, we have intro- 

 duced a pest. It has always been regarded in Europe as 

 a mischievous bird, but is tolerated because, like all the 



