The Sparrow.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 13 November 1890, Page 41

The Sparrow.

The town and country sparrow are the same species, but there is as much difference between the plumage of the two as there is in the outwar 1 appearance of the chimney sweep and the well-to-do mechanic. Philip Sparrow's surroundings in town smirch and blacken bis plumage. As to his habits- to beein with, he picks up almost any small trifle he comes across, nothiegseems to come amiss with him. The hardy litrle fellow knows well how to take care of himself and to make himself comfortable. During severe winters in past years I have seen many bird? that have been starved to death or perish with cold, but never a single house-sparrow. He attaches himself most pertinaciously to man, and, badly though he is treated, he will not leave him and his surroundings. " Them there sparrers rewins things; them guseberries wunt hey' a pint o' fruit on 'em, the cussed things hey' pulled off every fruit bud as showed ; mother wunt hey' no jam this

year, enss them I " Such were the sentiments expressed by one of our farmer acquaintances in my hearing. Strange to say, when the fruit season came ronnd, that particular year, he had a much heavier crop and larger fruit on his i_ gooseberry bushe| than he has gatherer! for years,' When f, twitted him with the fact, he simply replied th.\t " he couldn't mrk it out, no how"

Philip Sparrow bears no malice and sticks to the farmer. He even builds in bis thatch or under the tiles of his house. If you have ever lived in one of those old farm homesteads, very, early in ttie morning, if it is summer time, almo&t before the dawn, yott will have heard him begin his monotonous and exasperating conversation — " Ohip-chip-chip ! chisic-cbisic-chisic 1 chip-chip-chip 1 " By degrees the whole colony joins in. In the stillness of early dawn, when the farm is dead still, the noise to one unused to it is most Irritating.

When they have their young the sparrows are most persevering insect hunters. All tbe Cay. through, ffdrn morning till night, the cocK bird cdntonries b'rinejins bis mouth full of insects to feed bis mate as she sits on her' nest; or their young ones. For them titf hunts the fields, the hedges, and the gardens. At the time they most need it, insect life in all stages, mature and immature, forms food for himself and his family. The aphides; those garden pests, he diligently hunts for, and he carries off a mouthful at a time.

In the hayfields he forages before the grass is mown ; and when the long swathes lie there on the ground is the time to see the sparrows at their best. They go to the fields in flocks to capture the insects that swarm in and about tbe newly-cut grass. There is a small chubby brown beetle, locally known as the bay chaffer, that they soem remarkably fond of ; they will not leave the hayfields so long as there is a chance of getting one. — Cornnill.