Chipping Sparrow. 205 



Having cleaned bis wings to bis satisfaction, be would 

 indifferently look for insects witbia reacb, occasionally 

 extending bis neck and bead to glean from bark or foliage. 

 He bad evidently bad bis supper, bowever, and would 

 soon turn bis bill to anotber portion of bis plumage, per- 

 baps spreading bis tail, in wbicb I could note tbe little 

 notcb, until it was expanded in partial fan-sbape, as^ be 

 adjusted tbe soft featbers at tbe base of tbe stiff quills. 

 Thus be spent many minutes in tbe gatbering dusk, sev- 

 eral times settling bimself as if be were making bis^ bed, 

 though I knew tbat bis parents and brotbers and sisters 

 slept among tho branches of a large elm growing beside 

 tbe doorstep of my bouse. Wben I bad concluded tbat 

 be was surely preparing to sleep on the branch from 

 which be bad not stirred, there came a sharp chirp from 

 tbe father bird, calling bis loitering eon to join the family 

 group in the large elm. For a moment the independent 

 little fellow yet lingered, but at another anxious call be 

 answered in like manner and darted away like a dutiful 

 son to bis usual resting place. 



While the young are acquiring strength of wing and 

 gaining confidence in their growing powers, they and their 

 elders spend several weeks in the neighborhood of their 

 home, tbe parents patiently teaching their offspring to 

 forage and care for themselves, and the children carefully 

 attending to the advice and illustrations of tbe parents. 

 Indeed, the devoted parents do not forsake the tender 

 creatures they have reared so lovingly, and the children 

 remain within bearing and reach of their elders until tbe 

 family takes its departure in tbe fall to the southern home. 

 After the young cease to depend on the old birds, elders 

 and youngsters both make their home in tbe weed patches 

 in company with the field sparrows and other species, and 

 fare sumptuously on the seeds of tbe rag-weed and sinrii- 

 lar plants and grasses. Thus they feed in small families 

 or companies until the last week of October, when they 

 disappear fur the season. 



