. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders : with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . Birds; Reptiles. 5U PASSERINES. The House Sparrow {Passer domesticus, Yarrell), Fig. 228, is among the most interesting of the Passerinas. It abounds all over Europe, from its most southern regions up to extreme north. Every one is acquainted with this little bird; lively, pert, and cunning, the true (jamin of the winged race. It lives in flocks in the neighbourhood of dwelling-houses, and even in the heart of large towns ; it is familiar, but its familiarit
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders : with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . Birds; Reptiles. 5U PASSERINES. The House Sparrow {Passer domesticus, Yarrell), Fig. 228, is among the most interesting of the Passerinas. It abounds all over Europe, from its most southern regions up to extreme north. Every one is acquainted with this little bird; lively, pert, and cunning, the true (jamin of the winged race. It lives in flocks in the neighbourhood of dwelling-houses, and even in the heart of large towns ; it is familiar, but its familiarity is circum- spect and sly. It haunts our streets and public places, but is careful to keep men and boys at a respectful distance. It has a notion that the friendshijD of the great is dangerous, and its prudence counsels it to avoid intimacies which might have troublesome consequences; it is only after multitudinous proofs of good offices that the (Sparrow will form an un- reserved treaty of friend- ship with man. The Sparrow quoted by Buffon, which not only followed its soldier master everywhere, but would recognise him from all the others in the regi- ment, proves they are both intelligent and capable of aflection. Sparrows are eminently sociable, seeking their food and building their nests near each other, whether it be in crevices of walls or under the eaves of houses, in hedges or trees, or in the deserted nests of Swallows, which they have the efirontcry to apjoropriate. In their nest, which is a bulky, soft, and warm structure, lined with wool, bristles, and hair, the female deposits from four to six eggs three times a year ; their fecundity is consequently verj^ great. They are omnivorous, but prefer seeds and the larvoe of insects to all other food. Oceans of ink have flowed to prove the ravages committed bv. Fig. 228.—House Sparrows yfringiila doin<^stica, Penn.).. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally e
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
