THE COCK-SPARROW. 



is. We have adapted ourselves to the en- 

 vironment. Birds like jays and hawfinches, 

 now, are too shy and retiring : as civiliza- 

 tion advances, they retreat and skulk and 

 can't march with the age ; but we and 

 the rooks, we take advantage of every in- 

 crease of human population to redouble our 

 numbers. As fast as cultivation grows, we 

 grow ; man exists to provide us with food 

 and shelter." 



" Then you think your race has increased, 

 and is still increasing ? " I asked. 



" Not a doubt of it, my dear sir. We 

 have multiplied enormously. Before the age 

 of tillage, we were probably a small and un- 

 important group, no more conspicuous or 

 remarkable in any way than the wretched 

 little siskins, or the grasshopper-warblers. 

 But as cultivation develops, we develop, if 

 you will excuse my Latin, pari passu. (Oh, 

 yes, I know Latin well, because a near cousin 

 of mine is the Passer Italics?) However, as 

 I was going to say when you interrupted 

 231 



