72 HILLSIDE, ROCK, AND DALE 



venturesome of the brood jumps forward and 

 falls. 



The little creature flutters its wings violently, and 

 no doubt is surprised to find it can fly. But as 

 it descends, the parents fly by its side, and with 

 the most emphatic calls and cries, try to lead it to 

 some high branch ; for Minx, knowing what is going 

 on, makes ready to spring as the young flier nears 

 the ground. A dozen sparrows follow, and the noise 

 becomes deafening ; but all escape the cat, and the 

 fledgling settles, panting and frightened, on a shaking 

 branch, and then presently follows its elders to 

 a safer place. 



One bird now feeds those remaining in the nest, 

 while the other looks after the too eager youngster. 

 I always know when a young sparrow has left home, 

 for the noise made by the other inhabitants of 

 Sparrow Town is exceeded alone by the cries made 

 when a fight is in progress during the earlier part 

 of the season. 



The last stage of life in this feathered colony is 

 a tragical one to the sparrow. It happens at night. 

 Long after all have gone to roost there comes a 

 large white bird a barn owl which does not 

 approve of overcrowding. He sits on an outbuilding, 

 and with his wide-open, dreamy eyes watches the 

 ivy. He may sit there for an hour, he may sit 

 there for only ten minutes ; then he silently sallies 



