XXX. 



AN INTERVIEW WITH 

 A COCK-SPARROW. 



" BELIEVE me," said the sparrow, "it pays to 

 be civilized." 



" You seem to have found it so," I 

 answered. " You and the rook, I take it, 

 are just the two of our birds which have 

 lost nothing and gained much by man's 

 presence in our island." 



" I believe you," said the sparrow, cocking 

 his head on one side. He seemed ill to 

 recognize the solemnity of being interviewed, 

 which to the human subject is like having 

 your photograph taken, combined with a 

 compound visit to the dentist. " We are a 

 dominant race, you see ; that's just where it 

 230 



