The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-04

work, for She i evidently the master. sniri,
anu he the poor hen-peckcd subofdin.t.
she probably considers him incanahla =,
SO great an undertaking a. to assist IN M
construction of even mud cabin. Nev-
ertheless, he Is very watchful ana s.licit
Gus while She Is at work and during mon
baton and when the young are hatch, "a
nc does as much for their support While
~ the nest as the female; aud a. soon ~
they leave The nest she shirks an the r.
ssponsibilily of protecting and providing
Tor Them upon him, while She proceeds "
build another domicil or NJ no the old ono
BY this judicious management upon her
part she succeeds IN reading three brond.
IN one season, while most other birds r,.,r
but two.
The male must find his task rather ard,-
Gus with This Young household throxn
upon his care. their gaping. never satisfied
mouths around him.
Parental CHAsTIsEMFNr.
Recently ! was the witness OF auite ara
amusing scene. The male robin bruught
his young family from the mud cabin
nearly AS large rs himself by this time ~
some raspberry bushes. The bushes wen.
supported by narrow strips of board nailed
TO posts. This gave the birds secure foot-
ing while plunderlng the fruit. Two OF
the speckled-breasts helped themselves to
the fruit, but the third one kept close 10
the father with gaping mouth. Ia vain
the parent flew from one support 10 ~.
other; the persistent offspring was close
10 his side he seemed determined nor Ia
help himself. Finally the parent. seeming
10 lose patience, gave him tap on M
head, and then coolly proceeded 10 rceale
himself with the fruit The Young one
now shut his mouth for little time. hui
soon was gaping again; upon this the
irate father was more severe. and cave
nm quite drilbbing. as much as 10 say.
Now help yourself. and stop your eap.
mg." But he continued To provide M
young family with insects several dav.
after this incident.
Parental chastisement was inflicted ia
this case evidently for the good Of the
young one, or why would he have contin-
ned To supply them with insechs. which
were more difficult To obtans
A close observer of birds cannot FAN 10
see that they exercise reason and fore-
thought not only in the management OF
the young, but IN many other fhinr-.
Let me ask those who deny 10 animals
any faculty except INSTINCT what il Is ,hat
induces birds 20 vary from their usual
mode Of procedure. DO they not often
show a love OF mischief. and manifest
desire 20 rule. which lead them 10 forsake
the beaten track OF their forcfathcrs.
msCHIEvoUs wRENs
In the spring OF 1870 pair Of house
wrens (Trooi0dvtes ortonl selected the
oldest place Imaginable for the .ite Of their
mansion. which looked as If solely prompt
ed by love of mischief. Ii was on the
top OF barn swallows nest There We're
several nests of the swallows attached 10
the faiters in low room over 4 stable.
some of the nests were completed nicely
lined with soft white Fathers. ana con-
tanned eggs. | had spent many hours
with my favoriies. the swallows. watch
ing their graceful movements and dainty
ways, until they came 10 look upon me A.
their friend. and would continue their
building with me standing 50 c'o-c that
many times | could have put my hand
upon workman.
For day or two some thing had pre-
vented my usual visits 10 the swallows.
when my brother, with mock gravity. in
formed me that great calamity had be-
fallen my f,yOrtes--that pair OF tiny
wrens had made war upon them, and the
swallows ia dozen or more), with every
thing at stake. had made an inglorious re-
treat. and had taken mp their quarters ina
grain barn near at hand. | al once re-
paired 10 the scene of disaster. and found
the tiny victors the undsputcd posse-sors
of the premises. They had already com
menced 10 rear their mansion. having
taken a swallows nest, eggs and All. for
the foundation of their own structure.
The sprightly little housewife darted an
angry look out Of her bright ewes AZ me,
and no doubt contemplated driving me as
She had the swallows but was not 20
be- iniimidated she should either 20 on
with her work. with myself as witness,
or give np the site she had surreptitious-
~ taken. The male, less suspicious than
the female. continued his work. They
came through a knot-hole in the side Of
the barn with all their building material.
and then empty-mouthed flew out Of the
Dren window. They had. no doubt. In
the first place came in at this hole and
chased the swallows out Of the window,
and so they continued to the end as they
lad commenced.
The female at first refused 20 place the
ticks she brought. but dropping tkem on
he hay, would fly close 10 me in a spite
I'll way. and then pass ont of the window.
But AZ last she concluded TO go on with
he work, and | had the satisfaction Of
eeing the nest completed. IL was built
lose mp TO the roof only space enough
eft for them to enter.