THE SPARROW KIND. 251 



The first food of all birds of the sparrow kind 

 is worms and insects. Even the sparrow and the 

 goldfinch, that when adult feed only upon grain, 

 have both been fed upon insects while in the 

 nest. The young ones, for some time after their 

 exclusion from the shell, require no food; but 

 the parent soon finds by their chirping and gap- 

 ing that they begin to feel the approaches of 

 hunger, and flies to provide them a plentiful sup- 

 ply. In her absence, they continue to lie close 

 together, and cherish each other by their mutual 

 warmth, During this interval also they preserve 

 a perfect silence, uttering not the slightest note 

 till the parent returns. Her arrival is always an- 

 nounced by a chirrup, which they perfectly un- 

 derstand, and which they answer all together, 

 each petitioning for its portion. The parent dis- 

 tributes a supply to each by turns, cautiously 

 avoiding to gorge them, but to give them often, 

 though little at a time. The wren will in this 

 manner feed seventeen or eighteen young ones, 

 without passing over one of them. 



Such is tjie manner in which these birds bring 

 forth and hatch their young ; but it yet remains 

 to usher them from the nest into life, and this 

 they very assidupusly perform. When they are 

 full fledged, and fitted for short flights, the old 

 ones, if the weather be fair, lead them a few 

 yards from the nest, and then compel them to 

 return. For two or three succeeding days they 

 are led out in the same manner, but each day to 

 seek more distant adventures. When it is per- 

 ceived that they can fly, and shift for themselves, 



