THE SPARROW AND THE DRAGON-FLY

New Zealand Tablet, 13 August 1908, Page 38

THE SPARROW AND THE DRAGON-FLY

I was very much amused -('writes a correspondent of an" English newspaper) by * comical- little incident which I wit-, nesssed last spring in West .street, Dorking. A very large ; green and black dragon-fly w.as flying up the centre of the street, pursued by a sparrow. The sparrow would make a dart at the dragon-fly, but before he could get", near enough to strike with his beak the fly would give a quick flit with its -': wings,, and turn either Ao right or left, and before the sparrow, could turn again would be sailing serenely up the street. This happened several times, till I. suppose the sparrow, tired of the;, chase, flew to one of the houses and settled on the gutter. No ! sooner had he settled than, the dragon-fly, turned, and flew full • at the sparrow, who at once flew off in- a fright. The dragon- 1,fly pursued him - for some little distance, but came "back and : took up his flight up and down the centre of the road. L have < never seen anything like it- before; The dragon-fly seemed to ? know that the sparrow rould not catch him, -and to show its \ utter contempt turned and drove him away. - 1