84 cassell's book, of birds. 



occasionally increasing until they become large flocks. It is usual to find several different species 

 living together in this manner, and associating for many months ; the cleverest become the leaders 

 of the rest, and are obeyed, perhaps we should say imitated, by their little followers. Such are the 

 flocks that settle on our fields in autumn, after they have reared their young and moulted their 

 feathers. In the winter they generally establish themselves in our farmyards and streets. Many species 

 leave their homes annually, and go southwards at the commencement of the winter ; others only 

 wander or take occasional journeys, whilst some are stationary. Our part of the world yearly 

 receives a large number of guests from colder latitudes, in exchange for the native birds that have 

 left U3 to winter farther south. During very severe weather, we are often visited by species from the 

 far north, that perhaps have not been amongst us for years, driven from their home by a deficiency 

 of the food that they generally find in their own country. Some amongst them seem to pay so 

 little regard to the change of season that they will breed at any time of the year, and will carry on 

 the work of incubation exposed to the icy cold of a northern winter, or the exhausting heat of the 

 tropics. For the most part, however, they recognise the arrival of spring, and, like the poets, are 

 inspired with their tenderest feelings during the month of May. At that season the large flocks have 

 dispersed, and each pair is intent upon the duties inseparable from incubation to a degree that is 

 seldom equalled by other birds. Their beaks are then as frequently employed in doing battle with 

 jealous rivals, as in pouring out their songs of joy; their days are divided between singing and 

 fighting ; they eat with haste, exhibiting the greatest excitement in all they do. Each pair seeks a 

 separate spot for its own nest, driving away all other birds, so that breeding settlements, such as we 

 have elsewhere described, are rarely seen amongst them. The nests of the Passeres are of different 

 forms, and exhibit very various degrees of skill in their construction. Sometimes they may be seen 

 hanging from, or placed upon, waving twigs or thick branches ; sometimes they are hidden among 

 the foliage, or in holes of trees or fissures of rocks, and they may often be found concealed under 

 bushes, among reeds, corn, grass, and even upon the ground. Their exterior is carefully formed of 

 twigs, grass, hay, lichens, moss, plant-cotton, and such like materials, and is lined with softer fibres, 

 moss, scraps of wool, hair, and feathers. The brood commonly consists of from three to eight eggs 

 of various shape and colour, usually light blue or green, or yellowish grey, with markings of various 

 kinds. In most cases only the female sits upon the eggs, and during the period of incubation she is 

 fed by her mate, but sometimes the two sexes share this duty and sit in turn, appearing to rival each 

 other in taking care of their little family. The young early attain their full growth, and seldom need 

 the attention of the parents after they have left the nest, as they soon learn to seek their own food 

 and associate together in flocks, flying about over a limited extent of country until the season for 

 moulting arrives. The parents meanwhile rear another brood, sitting sometimes thrice in the year, 

 whilst others breed but once in the twelve months. Many enemies pursue these small and feeble 

 creatures — indeed, some falcons feed entirely upon them ; those and their nightly pursuers, the owls, 

 must be considered as their most formidable foes, though monkeys, lemurs, cats, weasels, bears, and 

 shrew-mice, the tree-frequenting rodents, and some kinds of snakes, are dangerous enemies ; indeed, 

 man himself cannot always be numbered among their friends. On the whole, the damage done 

 by Passerine birds is not very serious, and some of them are inexpressibly useful by reason of the 

 enormous quantities of insects and seeds of noxious plants which they devour ; still, there is no 

 denying that many species become very troublesome, especially when they congregate in large flocks, 

 and descend upon ripe corn or fruit-trees, and we readily acknowledge that it cannot be agreeable to 

 have to entertain hundreds of thousands of these little destroyers for weeks together. 



Amongst the very numerous Passerine races, we find some that might be called the Parrot- 



