AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



363 



is time you were out in the world. Your mother and I have fed you 

 ever since you were born, and we've had to hustle to do it, too. Why 

 we 've hardly had time to breathe some days. Now you are as big 

 and strong and fat as birds need be, and you must do your own hust- 

 ling". 



Photo from life by C .A. Smith. 



ENGLISH SPARROWS. 



Three of the birds seemed to take this plain language to heart and 

 evidently thought best to obey, after a few mild protests, but one, per- 

 haps the oldest, had a mind of his own. Again and again he flew back 

 to the window shutters and was immediately chased away by his father 

 who vociferated loudly his displeasure. Finally the young gentleman 

 even ventured into the nest. This was a straw too much (no pun in- 

 tended!) for his father's patience, and by the squawking which came 

 irom within one could imagine something unpleasant was happening. 

 A second later both dashed wildly out, the younger in advance close- 

 ly pursued by his irate parent. He flew down into the grass not far 

 from where I was sitting, and his father following, proceeded to ad- 

 minister such a strong drubbing as I hope few disobedient children 

 ever receive. I think that father sparrow must have been a Puritan of 

 the old school, certainly none of them could have been sterner or 

 stricter in rearing his children, or could have administered punishment 



