228 HISTOKY OF 



the blackbird, the lark, the red-breast, the bhick-oap, and the 



wren. 



Birds of the sparrow-kind, with thick and short bills, are the 

 gross-beak, the green-finch, the bull-finch, the crossbill the 

 house-sparrow, the chaffinch, the brambling, the gold-finch, the 



he may find in the street ; looks to him for his support, and is maintained 

 almost entirely by the industry and providence of mun. It is not known m 

 a solitary and independent state. 



Mr SmelUe relates a pleasing anecdote of the affecKon of sparrows to- 

 wards their oflfspring. . , ~. ^ e .,„„„» 

 " When I was a boy (says this gentieman) I earned oflf a nest of young 

 Bpa>Tows, about a mile from my place of residence. After the nest was 

 completely moved, and while I was marching home Avith them m triumph, 

 I perceived with some degree of astonishment, both the parents following 

 me at some distance, and observing my motions in perfect silence. A 

 thought then struck me, that they might follow me home, and feed the 

 young according to their usual manner. When just entering the door, I 

 held up the nest, and made the young ones utter the cry which is expres. 

 sive of the desire of food. 1 immediately put the nest and the young in the 

 comer of a wire cage, and placed it on the outside of a window. I chose 

 a situation in a room, where I could perceive all that should happen, with, 

 out being myself seen. The young animals soon cried for food. In a 

 short time both parents, having their bills filled with small caterpiUars, 

 came to the cage, and after chatting a little, as we should do with a friend 

 tlirough the lattice of a prison, gave a small worm to each. Tins parental 

 iutercourse continued regularly for some time, till the yo,mg ones wer. 

 completely fledged, and had acq.iired a considerable degree of strength I 

 then took one of the strongest of them, and placed him on the outside of the 

 cage, in order to observe the conduct of the parents, after one of their of^. 

 spring was emancipated. In a few minutes, both parents arrived as usual, 

 loaded with food. They no sooner perceived that one of their children had 

 escaped from prison, than they fluttered about, and made a thousand noisy 

 demonstrations of joy, both with their ,Hngs and their voices. These tu- 

 multuous expressions of unexpected happiness, at last gave place to a more 

 calm and soothing conversation. By their voices, and their movements, it 

 was evident that they earnestly entreated him to follow them and to fly 

 from his present dangerous stirfe. He seemed to be impatient to obey their 

 mandates ; but by his gestures, and the feeble sounds he uttered, he plainly 

 expressed that he was afraid to try an exertion he had never before at- 

 tempted They however, incessantly repeated their solicitations : by fly- 

 •„!<., alternately, from the cage to a neighbouring chimney-top, they en- 

 deavoured to show him how easily the journey was to be accomplished. 

 He at last committed himself to the air, and alighted in ^^^^^ty. On his 

 arrival another scene of clamorous and active joy was exhibited. Next 

 day I repeated the same experiment, by exposing another of the yoiuig 

 ones on the top of the cage. I observed the same conduct with the remain- 

 der of the brood, which consisted of four. I need hardly add, that not one 

 either of the parents or children, ever again revisited the execrated 

 cage." 



