182 THE HOUSE-SPARROW. 
were seen watching for hours on the tiles just 
above, chirping, strutting to and fro, flying down 
upon the martins when they came to their nests 
with materials, and loudly calling upon their fel- 
low sparrows to help them to be as offensive as 
possible. The martins, however, rendered now 
more determined, persisted in their building, and 
so far succeeded as to prevent the sparrows get- 
ting more than a few bents of hay into their nests 
when complete. The martins laid their eggs ; 
but for several times successively, the sparrows 
entered in their absence, and hoisted out all the 
eggs, which of course fell to the ground and were 
dashed to pieces. Provoked at this mischievous 
propensity of the sparrows, we had them now shot 
at, which had the desired effect. One or two of 
them were killed, and the rest took the hint, and 
permitted the martins to hatch and rear their 
young in peace. 
