808 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
independent spirit which, at one time at any rate, was the boast of English- 
men as peculiar to the British race. He is gregarious by habit, building 
his nest in colonies, his favourite place being either the eaves of buildings 
or thatch of barns; if numerous, however, they will build in evergreen 
trees and shrubs, such as the spruce-fir or Portugal-laurel. The nest, if 
built in the open, is circular-shaped, with an entrance at side, whilst it is 
often more or less rudimentary when built under the sheltering roof. The 
first sound that greets the dweller either in town or country in the early 
morning, and one of the last as evening draws on, is the endless chatter 
of the Sparrow, for he—unlike most of our sombre-coloured birds—possesses 
no pleasing song with which to beguile the hen during the days of 
incubation. What all their conversation can be about would tax the 
most imaginative of mortals to determine, for the ordinary listener the 
distinguishing feature of their parliamentary wrangles seems to be 
repetition. They remind me very much of a number of almshouse gossips, 
whose sole aim appears to be to hear their own voices, to attain which it is 
necessary for all to speak at once. The Sparrow, however, is not always 
chattering, for he is a good forager; a veritable gourmand is he—few 
things come amiss to him, from the corn in fields to the cherries on the 
wall; with his powerful beak he shells the peas with wonderful celerity, 
and when detected will fly to the nearest wall and chirrup a bold defiance, 
as if he delighted in a spice of danger. Watch him as he approaches the 
hens just fed with scraps from the table; in vain the cock—proud possessor 
of numerous wives—lets drive at him. No good, for he returns again and 
again until at last he seizes in his beak the object of his desire, perhaps a 
piece of turnip half as big as himself—quickly to be dropped, however, as 
some more palatable morsel is discovered. We have two or three cats here 
that feed regularly with the fowls; numerous Sparrows, of course, are there 
to pick and steal, as is their wont. It is a curious fact that the cats make 
no attempt to interfere with the Sparrows while feeding, the birds often 
feeding within springing distance. When Sparrows are numerous and food 
scarce their pugnacious nature asserts itself; if, however, two hen Sparrows 
should disagree, the general result is interference by some old male bird 
who has probably won his spurs in many a hard-fought tussle, in right of 
which he lays claim to decide upon the merits of the case, but if the cocks 
delight to fight and scratch, the hens will look on with indifference. I have 
seen Sparrows attack and drive away Starlings, even from the places where 
the latter had selected to nest. Around this house and buildings Swallows 
can get no place for their nests, owing to the fact that as soon as a nest is 
completed the Sparrows in the calmest way possible take possession. The 
Sparrow being a bird of social habits will, if encouraged, become tame, 
although, like most bipids of bullying propensities, they are naturally 
suspicious, and will not as a rule, unless pressed by hunger, venture within 
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