Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-08-07
Ipstln

curicr he celebrated naturalist vas fond of
telling his friend, how his atcntion was first lIr
| cd 10 natural history. When young and poor, he
| glad oi situation IN the household Of one Of
| III. inferior nuhi"sse tutor Ia his sons. The
resi,eace + his tnnlv wa. AN old chateau IN the
sonth of ancc aud n ut il. WIS assigned T. Gu
a- hi aIs,r ucnt; tne window looked tito the
,,s rtieh. and ~ the chateau stood on the soi, o
| hill it COMMANDED n,l extensive view Of u rich
| champ. cue country. 4 his window, young Gu
! vcr who an early riser. spent the hours be-
lore study lnhaiing the rlcl perfume oi the il'w
crs. and Teasing his eyes On the lovely PROSPECT
that stretched out before him.
One morning he observed two swallows visit re-
peatrdy one of the upper corners Of his window.
as if examining its suitablcness asppt to build
their nest in they adopted il. and forthwith b.. gan
carrying clay in their bills for the outer cru-t tins
in very short time they COMPLETED. and then the
nest WAS iormei within it, y, soon n their work
was finished the Two builders disappear f..
M,ine days.
While the industrious pair were engaged n Pee.
pairing their future habitatitn: Cu,Ier ,b>ersed
two sparrows pcrch-d on the lowest crow-:cp ui
of the gables ofthe chateau, AMI nearly "ppo-
site his window, who appen eli to watch wh in
t,rcst the pro .-css # the bu dcrs they qui
ct lockers II, and ne often wondered what could
b" their dice, in patiently observing the labor,
Of the Swallows. This he soon learned; n Oh thu
follow ng day following the inishns of ihc nest
rowe !',l,iy took possession and established them
selves ~ IT.
His attention was new attracted To the nest. for
he car 'eted lis rightinl owners to return; but be-
notic.,I that while one Of the srarrows went III
in sea "ch Of food the other remained at home,
with ia sturdy bill ready to defend the entrance,
ms II . <pecIng the return Of those whom he had
70 dishonesty robbed If their dwelling IN few
days the swallows returned; hut on flying To- their
nnicilba'e cal home, they were met by the srpng
bunt BIZ oi The in,ruding sparrow, and tnirl,
hratea o.. After this fiuitcss attempt To di,oler
the intruder the injured birds flew away: and lief,
the the, eh s,nrrow to chucklc it, successful
rngucry
But thn business was not ut an end; for the
following morning tn,.cr was surprised at sceing
tr,"ps 81 ~ allows nlightiug the crowslcps AHA
roof Of tie chateau and among them he observed
h;s old friends the bders, who flew about among
their omlaniolis aud twlttcred necessarily. Ills
eve was riycted on the assembled swallows.
FOR he saw tia, they had business on hand; and it
was speedily entered upon, for little troop made
an assault on the stolen nest But now two strong
bills gunrdcl the entrance. and dcfed all the c-
forts of the courageous swallows. Still the attack
was continued 10y fresh nssailants and maintained
until they s"enri satisfied OF the impossibilitv of
dislodging the Il arrow, when i'll n body they flew
away
The spargaI,~ seemed hNcl in their illgo;-
ten propcrty aud FOSTERING tiile Of chaticring
they ha,! after the retreat Il their enemies; if.
however, they chu"klcd over their prowe,s. and
rroccI il thr comforts Of their stolen home their
trumphs were destined t. i" shortiyc,. and II
fearful fat" AWAITED them.
In II vcri s,pt time tho swallows returned in
still greater numbers. each having some soft cav
in It's bill, with which in few seconds they her
mcucaIiy s"4rd mp tie entry 10 the nest. HnlcE!
signed the Imprisoned robbers to n lingering
death. Bn, tins not nll--ior as if ~ make
"scal'" utterly impossible, another nest was con
strnetcd abuttirs the original one. the back
par, OF which u lc Ia tho thickness OF the clay
which sh't in the sparrows. The crust
finished nest was formed of it, for II score Of
birds assisted in tho work, and the owners Of the
purloIncl nest were duly installed in their new
home, winch to tn" th,cvish sparrows made thcir
tomb.