A PUZZLE IN BIRDS 



handsome eggs, very different from those of our other 

 sparrows. 



Sparrow's eggs are usually so much alike that in 

 most cases it is necessary to identify them by clearly 

 seeing their owners, and often this is a very difficult 

 task. I have spent hours waiting or searching about, 

 trying to make the secretive, skulking bird show herself. 

 Even if the pesky thing does come out for an instant, 

 it is more than likely that it will be gone again before 

 the glass can be brought to bear. 



Almost everyone who lives in the country has the 

 pleasure of seeing the familiar Chippy nest on the 

 premises, in perfect confidence of good treatment. 

 Chippy nests in my orchard, on any bush or low tree 

 in the garden, or even on my piazza porch in the wood- 

 bine. There I took her picture while she gazed at me 

 beseechingly, hoping that I had not now become her 

 foe. This last spring a pair built their nest on the 

 trellis right at the entrance of our front door, but there 

 was so much passing that the little bird became fright- 

 ened and the eggs were not laid there. 



Chippy is a good subject to photograph in the act of 

 feeding her young. Some sparrows are too shy and 

 nervous to brave the camera, but she will do it. A 

 pair had a nest in our mulberry tree, and on the day 

 that the four little fellows left the nest I caught two of 

 them and made them sit on a stick in front of the 

 camera which was all ready for business. At first 

 mother Chippy was a little afraid, but she soon plucked 



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