ORNITHOLOGY 



103 



very near the ground in low bushes hut 

 this was something better. It would 

 protect them from any inclement 

 weather and in it their little home was 

 not likely to he discovered, carefully 

 and lovingly the work was done. 

 Grass woven in circular form was 

 used for the outer framework of the 

 nest and inside this, horsehair with an 

 occasional string intermingled made 



WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW'S NEST 

 In an empty tomato can. 



everything cosy. The four little blu- 

 ish green eggs with the brown spots 

 were laid on four consecutive days and 

 then the happy pair took turns in sit- 

 ting on them. 



Everything so far had gone well. No 

 unwelcome intruder had discovered 

 their hiding place. They were happy 

 as the day was long. Very soon how- 

 ever they were to learn that they were 

 living in a world in which sorrow and 

 joy are oddly intermingled and the in- 

 nocent often suffer for the carelessness 

 of others. A boy one day running 

 across the lot came so near that little 

 White Crown became frightened and 

 foolishly flew off her nest. The boy 

 saw her and immediately explored the 

 recesses of the old can. 



Now this boy was fond of the little 

 birds and would not for the world have 

 injured them or the nest but he had a 

 friend to whom he showed the cute 

 little thing. This boy told two others 

 and so the news passed around until 

 a boy heard of it who wanted just one 

 e §"§" f° r n ' s collection. 



It was just at this time that the news 

 was told to me in confidence, but when 

 I arrived on the scene 1 found several 

 boys there looking at the wonder and 

 there were but three eggs left. The 

 next day two more had been taken and 

 still a day later the last precious hope 

 of the sparrows was taken by a boy 

 who did not mean any harm but who 

 in st wanted one egg. 



This family of sparrows would have 

 eaten thousands of insects if they had 

 been allowed to hatch and grow up. 

 Four sweet little lives would have help- 

 ed to make the world brighter, had it 

 not been for the thoughtlessness of four 

 bovs who each wanted only one egg. 



