The Wit of the Wild 



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or exercise; yet he is rarely out of earshot, so 

 that she may not only be cheered and comforted 

 by his singing, but may summon him by a cry 

 of alarm when she needs help ; and it is a poor 

 sort of bird indeed that will not instantly rush 

 to defend its home. 



In this respect birds are far superior to the 

 four-footed animals, according to our ideas of 

 morality, for almost all of them will boldly and 

 distinctly fight in defense of nests and family, 

 regardless of peril to themselves, whereas few 

 if any male mammals will do so. 



Among birds, in truth, we first find a sense 

 of fatherhood and husbandhood, for when their 

 wives are busy in nest-building, and later are 

 brooding upon the eggs, their mates bring them 

 something to eat and when the young are fledg- 

 lings the father as well as the mother labors 

 to provide for them the enormous quantity of 

 food which they require. This helpfulness 

 varies with different species, however, some be- 

 ing much more attentive and maintaining their 

 family relations much longer than others. 



Most of the smaller birds of this country 

 +$ 190 So 



