St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-11-05
SPARROW AND TROUT.
Something Concerning the English
Bird and the English Ina
ported Fish.

ne ENRllSu 8p0EIOW ~ OuG VI tuC
most unattractive birds, we should say
the most unattractive were it not that
pictures of the apteryx and the dodo
suggest that it is impossible that the
avian family may contain specimens
more in-bred and generally disrepu-
table in appearance than he. Both
these, however, we believe, are ex-
tinct, having persisted like the ichtyo-
saurus of inmate LONELINESS, and have
been set aside in the scheme of evolu-
ton as imperfect and mistaken con-
ceptions." The English sparrow,
therefore, remains the most ill-condi-
toned, disagreeable-looking, and un-
pleasant hammered of all the birds.
1t would be unfair to compare him
with our song sparrow, for he makes
no pretension to musical skill and
frankly admits that his voice is harsh
and strident and fit for seedlings,
chickering's, and insults only, but COM
pare him with our familiar "chippy."
The feathers Of the English bird-it II
not possible conscientiously to use
the word '.plumage" in connection
with him-the feathers of the English
bird are of dull color and look dirty
and faded. his clothes have never been
brushed. His heavy bill, coarse head,
hunched-up shoulders, pugnacious tail,
with two feathers pulled out and one
turned sidewise, suggest that the pro-
nunciation of his name, ''Sparrer." il
correct, for. like professional prize
fighter, he is always quarreling out
loud and practicing "the preliminary
objurgations." Compare all this to
our chippy. whose plnmage is neat but
not gaudy, whose form is the refine
mcnt of elegance. and whose air and
manner are the perfection of unob-
trusivc cheerful courtesy. His outline
il the perfection of grace and adjusted
proportion. Observe him as he goes
through the woodbine
on the piazza in search OF noxious in
sects-how thoroughly and neatly he
works, neither inviting nor soliciting
your observation. There is no lost
motion" about the chippy, but all the
of the English sparrow are
jerky and aimlcss as Of something that
has no definite place in the scheme of
creation and is working for one.
Much the same Contrast holds be-
tween our brook trout and the inn
ported English trout known rs the
brown trout" Of course all trout
nre beautiful, but the English fish is
and blunter, the curve Of the
back. which in the American is said by
artists to be the most beautiful line in
animate nature, is hattened slightly
by the increased size of the head. The
colors are all toned down and sub
lued by the slight but all important
which marks the line be-
tween the work of the great colorists
and the successful imitators. In dis
position the English trout is ut once
sullcn and voracious, and is an insatia-
BILE cannibal. The American trout, IL
Is true, is not wholly free from blame
in this regard, but he does not devonr
The young of his own race in the whole
,ale and promiscuous way that marks
The feeding of his English cousin.
The contrast between the typical
of John Bull and Uncle
Sam is not altogether without justifi-
cation in fact. There is tendency In
his country to produce simmer,
more active and elegantly formed ami
nal than the English prototype. We
have no wish to lessen the interna-
tional good feeling between the two
great branches of the English-speak-
ng people. but we must say firmly that |
he pugnacious and provocative Eng
ish sparrow Is An ugly looking bird
Ind an unmitigatcd nuisance. with |
mt brains enough to teach him to 90 |
south In winter or breast enough to |
make him worth eating.-ITartford
:ourant.