Connecticut western news., 1877-09-14
About Sparrows,

habits and color of the sparrow in his original home on the other side of the water, and who closely watches the sparrows in and around New York city, | cannot fail to observe that the latter are undergoing a change of habit as well as color. Probably no part of England, if even of Europe, is more in- fested with this impertinent little fel- low than is the county of Kent, where the barDyards and fields abound with them. It is, however, necessary to draw distinction, for there are two kinds of sparrows, the house sparrow and the hedge sparrow. The former builds a ragged, clumsy-looking nest, notable for it's size and external looseness; even the feathers with which it is lined are placed in no kind of order, but appear to be put together in spirit of "that is good enough for me.' The eggs are of dull white color, speckled with red dish brown spots, and number from four to six; rarely less than the former and never exceeding the latter. The house sparrows rarely gather in large f1ocks, or indeed flock at all, save in winter. They build their nests in col- Onies if the conditions are favorable. oth erwise they will build in hooks about cornices, under waterspouts, and sometimes in trees. Over the main en- trance door to Trinity Church, in New York city, are several house-sparrow nests built in the ornamental stone
 work. In the ornamental cornice work of many brownstone-frOnt residences the same will be observed. The hedge sparrow is similar in appearance to his confrere save that he is trif1e smaller, He is much more tidy, however, in his household affairs. He builds snug little nest, neat and compact outside, and carefully lined with horsehair and
 feathers inside, made round and with a full open top. The flores of which it is mainly composed are neatly inter- woven and it is as cosy withal as a linnet's nest. They build separately and usually in small hedgerows, leav- ing the holes in trees and similar places to their city brethren, the house spar rows. They lay five small eggs of a beautifully clear blue color. The hedge sparrow it is against which the Europ
 can farmer wages relentless warfare in the grain and seed fields; while the house sparrow is attacked in the barn. yard about the stacks. The hedge spar row. in reasonable numbers, is yalua- ble insect-destroying aid to the farmer, and so indeed, in lesser degree, is the house sparrow; but the swarms of hedge sparrows to be seen in the south- ern counties of England are sometimes as relentless and exacting as the worst case of tax gatherer. Except in nest
 building season, the hedge sparrow can
 be distinguished in the air by his flying in compact and well-defined focks,
 scorning the careless, disorderly and irregular flight of the house sparrow.
 When flock takes alarm, and two or three birds rise from the ground, the rest rise like a broad and somewhat circular sheet; and if they divide at all :, it is done completely; one compact di- vision going one way and one the other,
 no stragglers being seen. When they settle again, it is with one accord,
 whether iU be in the field or upon the
 hedge rows. At times flock will set
 tie upon a tall bush as thick as bees, and chirp away with all their might and main, and at such times so intently
 are they engaged in their quarrel, con-
 fab, or whatever it may be, that one may get almost within arms length of them, and watch them hop from twig to twig amid very babel of chirps.
 When the nearest bird finds sufficient time from their noisy conclave to look
 about them and discover an invaders presence, they rise with short, sharp chirp, and fly of without anotber word, the rest of the flock either dispersing or