WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



or thirteen days old, the young birds leave the nest, 

 and in ten days more have learned to care for 

 themselves. Meanwhile the mother has abandon- 

 ed them to the father's guidance, and busies her- 

 self in the construction of a new home for a sec- 

 ond family. Although left strong and neat, the first 

 nest rarely seems to be used again; but the new 

 one is built in close proximity to it. As before, 

 the male is dutiful and loving, and the second 

 brood is brought out in July, or sometimes earlier, 

 so that even a third brood may be raised ; but ac- 

 cidents or climate usually prevent this degree of 

 success. 



In autumn the song-sparrows are to be seen 

 dodging about stone walls, road-side thickets, and 

 old pastures, in little family companies of six or 

 eight, no doubt consisting of parents with their 

 second brood of young, which remain together in 

 happy idleness, and move southward at their leis- 

 ure. 



Here the younger sons appear to have an ad- 

 vantage 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 coun- 

 sel of their parents during many weeks after they 

 may be said to have '' come of age,'' although pos- 



155 



