66 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



sat on the fence till the first rush and scramble 

 were over, and then flew down among the hens to 

 get their dinner. 



XVIII. 



SONG SPARROW. 



THE song sparrow, of course, goes into the same 

 pigeon-hole as chippy No. 4, " finches, spar- 

 rows, etc.," showing the same sparrow traits in 

 coloring, size, bill, and flight ; and the same con- 

 trasts with the crow in No. 2, the " blackbirds, 

 orioles, etc.," in No. 3, the " swallows " in No. 6, 

 and the robin and bluebird among the " thrushes, 

 bluebirds, etc.," of No. 14. But with all this, our 

 little friend has a marked individuality, and dif- 

 fers from his small cousin chippy in temper and 

 charm. I may be prejudiced, but while I admire 

 chippy for his bravery and intelligence I do not 

 find him as winsome as this simple little bird with 

 his homely cheeriness. 



In the spring the song sparrow comes North a" 

 few days after the robin, and although the chill 

 from the snow banks gives him a sore throat that 

 makes his voice husky, you may hear him singing 

 as brightly as if he had come back on purpose to 

 bring spring to the poor snow-bound farmers. 

 Even his chirp of rich contralto quality com- 

 pared with the thin chip of his cousin has a 



