JAMES M. DEGARMO. 83 



It is not at all difficult to see, in this way, how many 

 of the organized instincts of the bird may undergo slight 

 modifications, and these induce other modifications; and 

 so on, endlessly, till, from the slight changes from a 

 wild, marshy spot, to the dryer vicinity of man's habi- 

 tation, such vital modifications might result as would 

 constitute a new species. 



These hints suggest a most important field of observa- 

 tion for lovers of birds who have time to devote to their 

 study. The least fact pertaining to nests, food, size, 

 incubation, tameness, in short, every trifle, may be of 

 vast importance in the change. For instance, I found 

 the English sparrow, now unfortunately domesticated 

 among us, nesting this summer under a shelving rock, 

 far from any house or barn, in a lonely and secluded 

 spot. This would seem to be a new departure for the 

 sparrow, and one which may be fruitful in results, 

 especially for the ears of those who dislike the garrulous 

 and quarrelsome bird. 



Another singular change is worthy of notice. When 

 the Sparrows first became domesticated in considerable 

 numbers, there was a perceptible diminution in the num- 

 bers of the robins [Turdus migratorius). Ever} 7 battle 

 between the red-breast and the pugnacious sparrows 

 ended in the worsting of the larger bird. But, lately, 

 the issue is reversed, and the robins have regained their 

 lost ground. But it has entirely changed the style of 

 the battle — as, first, the sparrows were the aggressors, 

 fiercely attacking the robins, who stood upon the de- 

 fensive, fighting mostly with the beak. Time and ex- 

 perience have so modified this that the robin no longer 

 acts in defense, but is himself the assailant, — not with 

 his beak alone, but with wings, beak and claw, — fairly 

 overwhelming his smaller antagonist with the violence 

 of his onset. 



In not a single instance this summer did I see a robin 



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