180 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 



When the young are born, both parents are exceedingly 

 devoted to their wants, carefully removing every trace of 

 the old egg-shells and all foul matter far from the nest, and 

 working with great energy to keep the hungry mouths till- 

 ed. The nestlings are fed upon the young of many small in- 

 sects, and as they grow older are given larger larvae -earth- 

 worms, house-flies, plant-lice, ants, and small night-flying 

 moths. When twelve or thirteen days old, the young birds 

 leave the nest, and in ten days more have learned to care 

 for themselves. Meamvhile the mother has abandoned 

 them to the father's guidance, and busies herself in the 

 construction of a new home for a second 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 can be raised. But accidents or climate 

 generally prevent this degree of success. 



In autumn the song- sparrows are to be seen dodging 

 about stone walls, roadside thickets, and old pastures, in lit- 

 tle 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 

 leisure. 



