258 OUU NATRT SONGSTERS. 



US as the robin of these dreary wikls ; and its 

 lively chirp and fearless confidence have renderctl 

 it respected by the most hunip-y sportsman. I 

 could not, on this occasion, view its little nest, 

 placed on the breast of infancy, without wishing 

 that I possessed the power of poetically expressing 

 the feelings that it excited." 



It is not easy to ascertain whether the sparrow 



on the house-top, spoken of by David, be our 



common bird, or wliethcr, as suggested on an 



earlier page, the bird mentioned by Mr. Watertun 



as the solitary sparrow or tlirush, is the species 



intended. Our native species is frequent in 



Palestine. In our own land the Sparrow* ^Pas.srr 



domesticus) is to be met with every^vhere, — in 



town and country ; but the little bird in great 



cities, hopping about among the smoky chimneys, 



is very different in appearance from tlie blithe 



sparrow which chirps along the garden path, or 



among the bright flowers of the country lane, 



generally keeping near houses, and sharing any 



* The House Sparrow is six inches in length. Crown of the 

 head dull grey ; the rest of the upper plumage chestnut bro\\-u, 

 with blackish centres ; chin and throat black ; under parts dull 

 greyish. The female wants the variegated tints of the plumage, 

 and the black of the throat. 



