294 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL CLASSIFICATION. 
as our observing naturalist truly remarks, “‘ a most 
domestic little bird.” The Rasores are conspicuous for 
a permanent attachment between the sexes, long after 
the season of incubation, and when most other birds 
separate and disperse ; but our little hedge-sparrow pos- 
sessess the constancy of its type, for ‘it appears always 
to live in pairs, feeding and moving in each other's 
company.” Next, as to its nest: the loose slovenly way 
in which their habitation is fabricated by the Rasores is 
well known ; so also is that of the hedge-sparrow, for 
“it has little art displayed in its concealment,” or, com- 
paratively, in its construction ; and as rasorial birds buiid 
their nests for the most part upon the ground, so does 
the hedge-sparrow place hers but a short distance above 
it.* Both live and seek their chief supply of food upon 
the earth, pecking about for seeds, however small ; and 
both, for such a life, are gifted with unusual strength 
in their legs. Rasorial birds are well known to have 
short convex wings, and a strong entire bill; so also 
has the hedge-sparrow, while the bill of the type of its 
genus, the Accentor alpinus, is so thick, that it might 
be compared to that of a finch. One of the great 
typical divisions of the gallinacecus order is remarkable 
for the variegated yet plain and homely colours of their 
plumage ; witness the whole of the grouse, partridges, 
and bustards ; so also is that of the hedge-sparrow ; its 
colours, on close inspection, are prettily varied, yet the 
general effect is ‘remarkably sober and grave.” Finally, 
it is among the Rasores we see that peculiar intelligence 
of parent birds in the preservation of their young, which 
is so well known in the partridge; either one or both 
the parents will entice those whom they fear away from 
their nest or infant brood, by feigning lameness, in 4 
variety of ways. Now, the only native bird, in the 
whole of this division of warblers, that will do this, is 
the hedge-sparrow. Bewick, who was aware of this 
fact, observes, that, “ during the time of sitting, if a cat 
or other voracious animal should come near the nest, 
| 
* Bewick, vol. i. p. 222. 
