°e) 
The flouse Sparrow. 83 

clear his crops, it must be evident to all observant 
minds that the Sparrow has an important and bene- 
ficent work to do, which is specially if not peculiarly 
its own. It is a scavenger rather to be fostered than 
rejected. On the newly-sown ground in spring, many 
destructive things are killed and eaten by it, such as 
grubs that bore from turnip to turnip, or from mangold 
to mangold, soon destroying several of these necessary 
roots, required in winter for the maintenance of live 
stock on the farm, while frost and snow are doing their 
work. The wireworm is sedulously sought out by this 
bird, and when once within the grip of its strong bill, 
has no further chance of doing damage to cereal crops. 
It is a detective and executioner too to caterpillars 
and many other insects, which are very destructive 
both to our vegetable and fruit gardens, as well as to 
farming lands. 
Of favourite places the garden is second to none 
with this bird; and it is a good thing it is so, or our 
gooseberry bushes would much oftener be stripped of 
their leaves and embryo fruit; our cabbages would 
erow stunted if undefended from attacks by grubs, 
Ompecame ot little value if bored into by the cater 
Pildim es Ower these, however, the Sparrow may. be 
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