THE SONG SPARROW 



THE first song sparrow's nest I observed in the 

 spring of 1881 was in a field under a fragment of 

 a board, the board being raised from the ground 

 a couple of inches by two poles. It had its full 

 complement of eggs, and probably sent forth a 

 brood of young birds, though as to this I cannot 

 speak positively, as I neglected to observe it fur- 

 ther. It was well sheltered and concealed, and was 

 not easily come at by any of its natural enemies, 

 save snakes and weasels. But concealment often 

 avails little. In May, a song sparrow, which had 

 evidently met with disaster earlier in the season, 

 built its nest in a thick mass of woodbine against 

 the side of my house, about fifteen feet from the 

 ground. Perhaps it took the hint from its cousin 

 the English sparrow. The nest was admirably 

 placed, protected from the storms by the over- 

 hanging eaves and from all eyes by the thick 

 screen of leaves. Only by patiently watching the 

 suspicious bird, as she lingered near with food in 

 her beak, did I discover its whereabouts. That 

 brood is safe, I thought, beyond doubt. But it 

 was not : the nest was pillaged one night, either 

 by an owl, or else by a rat that had climbed into 



