SPATTROW. 
81 
‘A Sparrow, is not only bold with regard to men, but still 
more so on particular occasions towards other birds. On the 
edge of a certain lawn grew a close thick bush. On this 
lawn, amongst others, the Blackbirds used to come and forage 
.for worms. One day a person happened to be looking at a 
Blackbird in the act of making off with a prize, when a 
Sparrow, darting from the thick bush, instantly assailed the 
Blackbird, and compelled him to drop the worm, of which 
he took immediate possession. So singular a circumstance 
induced the observer to look out now and then, when 
Blackbirds came, and he frequently saw the same piratical 
practice adopted by the Sparrow, who thus, by keeping 
watch in his bush, was enabled to enrich himself on the 
labours of the larger bird.’ I have lately observed one 
Sparrow chasing another in precisely a similar way, under 
similar circumstances. The Bishop continues, ‘But notwith¬ 
standing this unfavourable feature in his character, he has 
been known to act with great consideration and kindness 
to birds requiring his good offices.’ 
In the ‘Naturalist’s Magazine,’ we find the following story 
in point:—‘A lady, living in Chelsea, was extremely fond of 
birds, of which she kept a considerable number in cages. 
Amongst others she had a Canary, which was a particular 
favourite, but the loudness of his note often obliged her to 
put him outside of her window, in some trees which were 
trained up in front of her house. One morning, during 
breakfast, when the cage was there placed, a Sparrow was 
observed to fly round about it, then perch upon the top, and 
twitter to the bird within, between whom and itself a sort 
of conversation seemed to ensue. After a few moments he 
flew away, but returned in a short time, bearing a worm 
or small grub in his bill, which he dropped into the cage, 
and immediately flew away. Similar presents were received 
day after day, at the same time, by the Canary, from his 
friend the Sparrow, with whom, at length, he became so 
intimate, that he very often received the food thus brought 
into his own bill from that of the Sparrow. The circum¬ 
stance attracted the notice of the lady’s neighbours, who 
often watched these daily visits; and some of them, to try 
the extent of the Sparrow’s kindness, also hung their birds 
out at the window, when they found them also fed; but the 
first and longest visit was always paid by the Sparrow to 
his original friend, the Canary, 
von. m. 
& 
