HIS AFFECTIONS 81 
Canary birds often love their mistress. I 
have heard of one who was so grieved by a 
harsh word, that in a few minutes he fell off his 
perch dead. 
These true stories show us how tender and 
loving these little creatures are, and how careful 
we should be to treat them gently and kindly. 
An interesting and true story is told by a 
clergyman in Ohio. It is a habit of wrens to 
find a good nesting-place, and then look for a 
mate to occupy it. One spring a wren chose a 
nice bird-box on his place, and held it ready for 
the expected bride. But she did not come, and 
a pair of English sparrows took a fancy to the 
same house. 
Sparrows expect to get what they want, and 
are always ready to fight for it, so they gave 
battle to the wren. But wrens also will fight 
for their own, and this wren held his house 
against the enemy for two weeks. Still the 
mate did not appear, and finally the lonely bird 
lost heart, and let the sparrows set up house- 
keeping in his box, though he did not go away. 
When the young sparrows were hatched, and 
feeding began, the wren suddenly became 
friendly. He hunted up small green worms, 
probably such as are good for wrenlings, and 
offered them to the young sparrows. 
