法苑珠林 70.76

70.76

漢綏和二年三月。天水平襄有燕生雀。哺食長大俱飛去。京房易傳曰。賊臣在國。厥咎燕生雄雀。又曰。生非其類。子不嗣也。

In the third month of the second year of the Suihe era of the Han dynasty, in Pingxiang of Tianshui, a swallow gave birth to a sparrow. It was fed, grew up, and both flew away. The Yi Zhuan by Jing Fang states: 'When treasonous ministers are in the state, the disaster is a swallow giving birth to a male sparrow.' It also states: 'Giving birth to what is not of one's kind indicates that sons will not succeed to their lineage.'