104 MIGRATION AND FLIGHT. 



meal-worms, and showing no symptoms of impatience 

 at the usual period of migration. It was silent the 

 rest of the year. Last May it was permitted to go 

 out of its cage, which was hung up, open, at the 

 door of the offices. At first it returned regularly in 

 the evening to its cage, and was taken into the 

 pantry, and released again next morning. As the 

 season advanced, it sometimes stayed out all night, 

 in the shrubberies and pleasure-grounds, but if called 

 by any of the servants, whose voice it knew, would 

 return, and feed out of their hand. For a day or 

 two, towards the close of summer, it seemed rather 

 uneasy, getting into the coal-hole and cellar ; but 

 this soon wore off. As the evenings got cool, in the 

 autumn, it returned again to its cage before night- 

 fall, and was taken as usual into the house. As the 

 season still farther advanced, it was to be perma- 

 nently housed, and was expected to sing again at 

 Christmas. 



Other facts deserve attention, proving that mere 

 climate is by no means, in all cases, the cause of 

 these periodical visits. Thus, some birds will, on 

 the introduction of a new system of cultivation, 

 make their appearance in countries where they were 

 never seen before. The Cross-bill (Loxia curm- 

 rostra) has followed the apple to England. Glenco, 

 in the Highlands of Scotland, never saw the Par- 

 tridge till its farmers, of late years, introduced corn 

 into their lands. The Sparrow again extended its 

 range with the tillage of the soil. Thus, during the 

 last century, it has spread gradually over Asiatic 

 Russia, towards the north and east, always follow- 

 ing the progress of cultivation. It made its first 



