12 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



new habits do occur— 'I rather fancy that I dropped 

 across one of late, in finding the Sparrows peeling 

 ofiE the inner bark of the limes for nesting-material, 

 even when they could easily get straw, and I find 

 the habit not uncommon in the Regent's Park 

 district, as many barked branches testify. 



There is, therefore, always room for observation, 

 confirmatory or original, and no conscientious 

 observer need fear to record what he or she sees, 

 for there is no such thing as authority in science, 

 and the veriest beginner may often put the expert 

 to the blush. 



