68 
NATURE NOTES. 
ous sparrow made a flying leap at the swinging bread ; and after 
several failures, just managed at last to hang on b}’ his beak long 
enough to pull off a piece, wherewith he would fly off, followed 
by a dozen of his comrades, one of which usually managed to get 
it from the original procurer before he had time to eat it himself. 
This method went on for awhile increasing, with frequent angry 
chatterings by the robbed tits. By-and-by, however, one care- 
fully observant sparrow just succeeded in perching on the top of 
a large piece of bread, and hung there feeding, though with 
difficulty. Others soon imitated the adventurer ; and though 
they often fell off, j'et they are getting now, I see, to manage to 
fasten their claws somehow to the twine ; thus I am now looking 
forward to see what will happen with them next winter. 
All this bird-feeding is watched with great interest by three 
little canaries, whose cages hang in a window overlooking the 
feeding-place ; and, more especially, by a dear little red-poll, 
which stands on the kitchen window-sill, just inside the apple- 
tree, and whose dainty little feet, dark, like a lady’s hand in 
black kid gloves, cling to the nearest wires in his astonishment 
at watching what is going on outside. 
In very hard weather, when the rooks are sorely pressed to 
find an}' food, a few of them come to perch on a neighbouring 
tree, and sail frequently over the garden. After much recon- 
noitring, one of them will make a swoop upon the very small 
grass-plot — so small that the bird can hardly find room to perch 
— and carry off in his claws a piece of bread or meat, to con- 
sume at his leisure on the top of the tree or elsewhere. 
W. J. C. Miller. 
The Paragon, Richmond. 
GOLFERS AND COMMON LAND. 
HE sudden rise in the popularity of golf near London is 
leading to unlooked-for developments. While the game 
was confined to private land, or public land in private 
use, its introduction into a neighbourhood was the con- 
cern only of its votaries. An open-air game, of not too boisterous 
a character, requiring some skill in its pursuit, and free from the 
blighting gambling mania, is certain of sympathisers among all 
lovers of out-door exercise. Within such limits its influence is 
only healthy, but it is different when golf is introduced on to 
commons, heaths, or other public open spaces. Some amount 
of change has to be made to adapt the locality to the desired 
purpose, and the ground so occupied is devoted to the use of the 
few (and in these cases wealthy people), as against that of the 
public generally ; and if the land is of limited extent, the few 
