CHANGE OF HABITS IN ANIMALS 407 



TOWNS AND SONG 



In another way, towns have changed the habits of their 

 bird frequenters, for the spring song of town and city 

 dwellers as a rule commences at an earlier date than that 

 of their country cousins. The Thrush is a case in point, for 

 although its song rarely commences before mid-February in 

 the country, it is no uncommon thing to hear it in town 

 before the close of January.- The reason probably is that 

 the town atmosphere in winter has a more equable and 

 higher temperature owing to the abundance of fires, and the 

 radiation and refraction of warmth from the walls of many 

 houses. The ground, therefore, is less often frozen, the 

 frosts and snows are less severe, and last for shorter 

 periods than in the surrounding country. As a consequence, 

 natural food, to which man adds his kitchen scraps, is more 

 accessible in towns throughout the winter, and the signs of 

 spring begin to show while country vegetation is still asleep. 

 So food, warmth, and symbols of returning spring all tend to 

 deceive the town bird as to the march of the seasons, and he 

 gives way to his awakening energies in early bursts of song. 



TOWNS AND NESTING 



Now the spring-time song is part of the great mating 

 enthusiasm of the opening year ; and its early awaken- 

 ing has close connection with an interesting sequel 

 the early nesting of town birds. The House Sparrow, for 

 example, is not an early nester in country districts where it 

 has not become an overwhelming nuisance. Its activities in 

 this respect belong to the second great wave of building in 

 the latter half of April, some time after the first wave, which 

 includes such birds as the Heron, Raven, Thrush, Blackbird 

 and Robin. Yet in towns, Sparrows have forsaken the 

 country habit and may be seen gathering the miscellaneous 

 rubbish for their nests even from the beginning of the year. 

 Starlings, too, which, like the House Sparrow, naturally take 

 their place in the second wave of building have like it also 

 been undergoing a process of speeding-up, and now instead 

 of waiting for the ides of April, set to work in towns a good 

 fortnight earlier. This curious change of habit is no doubt 

 due mainly to the peculiar conditions of town life, but it may 



