PASSERINE BIRDS. 13 1 



THE SPARROWS PROPER {Passeres). 



The Sparrows are known by their strong, thick, stunted beaks ; short, stout legs, furnished with toes 

 of moderate length and crooked claws ; their wings are short, and the tail more or less graduated ; 

 the body is stoutly built, and the plumage simple in its colour and markings. The feathers of the 

 male are of chestnut-brown, grey, or golden yellow, while those "of the female are entirely grey, 

 streaked with brown ; the young are like the mother. The members of this family strongly resemble 

 each other in their mode of life and habits ; all or more or less stationary, frequenting agricultural 

 districts, and any place inhabited by man ; never going to a great distance from their dwelling- 

 place, and passing their time principally upon the ground in search of food. The Sparrows show as 

 great a dislike to barren districts, as to thick woods ; preferring such spots as are planted with shrubs 

 or hedges, upon which they seek shelter in times of danger ; holes in rocks, or crevices in walls, are, 

 in like manner, sometimes employed for this purpose. In their movements they are clumsy, and hop 

 when upon the ground with apparent effort ; their flight is violent, and far more rapid than accords 

 with their strength, so that they are soon exhausted. Their song scarcely deserves the name, and the 

 call-note is monotonous and unpleasing. These birds are intelligent and social in one sense of the 

 word, but, although they love to congregate with other species, they are extremely quarrelsome and 

 spiteful, especially during the season for choosing a mate, when most pertinacious and furious 

 battles are of constant occurrence — the enraged combatants falling upon each other, biting, struggling, 

 and screaming in a manner that is perfectly astounding to a spectator of this miniature warfare; 

 indeed, it seems as if these encounters took place simply to gratify the pugnacious propensities of the 

 irritable little creatures. All the members of this family bathe frequently, paddling about when in 

 the water until their coats are quite saturated, and subsequently preen their feathers with the greatest 

 care. Corn and insects form their principal food, their preference for the former, perhaps, accounting 

 for the pertinacity with which they frequent the dwellings of men. During the summer they indus- 

 triously pursue various kinds of insects, with which they feed their young. They are fond of fruit, 

 and often attack our orchards, doing an incalculable amount of injury. It is believed that these 

 birds produce many broods in the year. The nest, which is placed in a hole or upon tire branch of 

 a tree, consists only of a heap of scraps, thrown inartistically together without arrangement or care, 

 except that the softest materials should line the interior. 

 Sparrows are totally unfitted for life in a cage. 



THE COMMON SPARROW. 



The Common or House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is well known to all our readers. The 

 mantle of the male bird is brown, striped with black, the top of the head blueish grey, edged at its 

 sides with deep chestnut. The wings are marked with two bands, one white, the other of a rusty 

 yellow colour, and extremely narrow ; the cheeks are greyish white, the front of the neck black, and 

 the under part of the body light grey. The female is of a light brownish grey upon the head, whilst 

 over the eyes runs a pale yellow line ; the back is light brown, streaked with black ; the whole of the 

 lower part of the body greyish white ; the young resemble the mother until the first moulting season. 

 The beak is black in summer and grey in winter, the feet horn-grey, and the eyes brown. Many 

 varieties of plumage occasionally occur, some individuals being white, or yellowish white, and some 

 nearly black. The male and female differ but little in size ; both are about six or six and a quarter 

 inches long, and nine to nine and a half across the wings. 



The House Sparrows inhabit a greater extent of country than almost any other bird, being found 



