THE SONG-SPARROW. 181 
Here the younger sons appear to have an advantage over 
their elder brethren of the first brood, who are early sent 
out to seek their fortunes, in that they enjoy the continued 
example and counsel of their parents during many weeks 
after they may be said to have “come of age,” although 
possibly they may chafe under the restraints» of paternal 
guidance, not to say old-fogyism, from which the young- 
sters of the first brood are now gayly delivered; but it 
would not be wonderful if it could be shown that the next 
year this latter brood, profiting by distasteful discipline, ex- 
celled in nest-building and in general prosperity over the 
others, who had enjoyed less advantages in the way of home 
education. Here is a new factor in the problem of natural 
selection. 
