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taurants in our larger cities, always get 
your dish of reedbirds or ricebirds, for 
the bodies of the English sparrows can 
always be relied upon to keep up the 
supply; so, you see, even English spar- 
rows have their use. In breeding times 
the color of the male is black, the back of 
its head yellowish buff, and back white 
with dashes of gray. The color of the 
female and young is yellowish brown 
above, brownish yellow beneath, and you 
would hardly believe that they held any 
relationship to the male as you know 
him. He remains here long after you 
believe him to be gone, for he soon 
loses his bright colors and takes on 
the plumige of the female. Our bird 
is showy, noisy and flippant, and sings 
as he flies. Cranch thus poetizes con- 
cerning him:— 
‘* What cadences of bubbling mirth 
Too quick for bar or rythm ! 
What ecstacies, too full to keep 
Coherent measure with them ! 
