1891.
July 13-16
(No 6)
England.
St. Ives. - most entertaining birds, saucy, piquant,
familiar, yet are quick to scent danger and at all
times really on the watch for it. They sail a good deal
when flying among the houses or along the streets
and often soar in graceful, easy circles when they
wish to rise into the air but when making a
protracted flight their wing beats are rapid and
incessant and they move at a very rapid rate
often, especially when seen at a distance, closely
resembling Wood Pigeons. Their ordinary call note
is rather musical. It varies, at times closely
resembling the flight-call of the Purple Martin,
at others the [?] of the Green Heron. They
also utter a variety of low chuckling, talking notes
and, as I have already recorded, occasionally
caw in rather feeble, cracked tones.
  House Sparrows are quite as abundant at
St. Ives as elsewhere in England. Their young
are now on wing. I do not see these Sparrows
much along country roads except near the
outskirts of villages or about ruins but they
nest in thatched roofs wherever these are 
to be found even if the house is isolated. 
I remark everywhere the same differences 
in the notes of the English bird as compared
with our American colonists that I noted
on first hearing the [fauna?] at Liverpool.
It seems to me, also that the [female] is higher
colored here than with us. Why is it that
I cannot find the European Tree Sparrow?
I am certain that I have met none as yet
unless, perhaps, at Raglan Castle.