124 ROCK SPARROW. 



compares the song to that of the Reed Bunting, 

 which is not saying much for it, but it is not without 

 melody. 



In confinement the Rock Sparrow is very tame and 

 sociable with its kindred. Brehm brought up a young 

 bird which was very confiding in its manner to him. 

 It would feed out of his hand, and let him know 

 by a cry or a look when it wanted food. It sung 

 before it was full-grown, and was heard constantly 

 in October, being loudest when the other birds were 

 singing. Leisler informs us that he brought up a 

 young bird, which was very docile and an excellent 

 mimic, having, among other qualifications of this kind, 

 learned to imitate, much to his master's annoyance, the 

 cry of his Marmot. This bird, however, did not 

 seem inclined to sing when people were in the room, 

 but it was nevertheless very tame, comical in its habits, 

 and mischievous. 



The Rock Sparrow feeds on seeds of various kinds, 

 insects and their larvae, especially beetles, grasshoppers, 

 and Naumann adds, I am sorry to say, cherries. 

 Large grains of sand are often found mixed with the 

 food in the stomach. It frequents ploughed fields, 

 meadows, and roads, after corn-seeds, especially oats, 

 which it seems to like best of the cereals. It is also 

 a berry feeder. It lives in early summer on insects; 

 and feeds its young, like the rest of its family, upon 

 caterpillars and other larvae, together with beetles, 

 grasshoppers, and moths, all of which it removes from 

 the cultivated lands, very much to the benefit of the 

 farmer, who rewards its relations for the same service 

 in this country with a dose of poison. Naumann, 

 however, expatiates upon the fondness of the Rock 

 Sparrow for cherries, in search of which it will lead 



