Swamp Sparrou 
lit 
more graceful tail makes him appear a trifle 
larger. Certainly not by any rowdy, bold 
assaults, which are the English bird’s specialty. 
But by simply assuming superiority and expres- 
sing it only by running in a threatening attitude 
toward each English sparrow who dares to 
alight on the roof, does he bluff him into flying 
away again! There is never a fight, not even 
an ill-mannered scolding, just quiet monopoly 
for a few minutes, then a joyous outburst of 
song. After that the English sparrows may 
take the songster’s leavings. 
SWAMP SPARROW 
Where rails thread their way among the 
rushes, and red-winged blackbirds, marsh wrens, 
and Maryland yellow-throats like to live, there 
listen for the tweet-tweet-tweet of the swamp 
sparrow. It is a sweet but rather monotonous 
little song that he repeats over and over again 
to the mate who is busy about her grassy nest 
in a tussock not far away, but well hidden 
among the rank swamp growth. 
Some children say it is difficult to tell the 
plain gray-breasted swamp sparrow from the 
larger song sparrow with the, streaked breast ; 
but I am sure their eyes are not so sharp as 
yours. 
