Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-17
A REMARKABLE BIRD STORY.

In late number of the Enquirer ap-
peared an account of there having been
found near Greensboro, KY, dead spar.
row suspended by the neck to the bough
of tree by string leaving the infer
had been summarily gibbeted by his fell
lows l wish to record a similar observa.
ton made by myself and wife few days
since, and which, taken in connection
with the above case, has afforded me, as
it may others, considerable curiosity, if
not mystifcation.
Adjoining our lot is building in which
at least twenty sparrows, such as frequent
this valley, have their habitation. A few
feet from the building stands locust
tree. whose branches appear to be used
as a sort of public square or assembly
grounds. Here for several days before
the tragic occurrence to be related were
held, with brief intermissions, many very
noisy meetings, in which all the tenants
appeared to be active participants The
cause of the trouble seemed to be a dispute
about the possession of certain COSY nest
ing place or suite of rooms In the cornice
near the tree, an entrance to which was
had by well-shaped knot-hole. The
whole colony, individually, was engaged in
either trying to adjust the matter amicably
or else were adding to the ferment-there
were no neutrals. Within an hour every
bird in the burg entered the knot.hole,
turned around, and then, with his head
peering out, would harangue the others
until he was pushed aside by the en-.
trance of another. These visits of in.
spection, as they seemed to be,
were made, however, generally in
pairs or by threes, and on the exit of the
party they at once renewed their chatter.
ing with more earnestness than ever. One
squatty old fellow of unusually dirty de-
meanor, and most of his tail feathers gone,
was very active. Every few minutes, by
dint OF crowding and seemingly threaten
ing gestures, he would force his way into
the box, and then, quickly turning, begin
to jabber excitedly from the knot-hole
But his ideas always gave immediate Of
tense to the majority, as he would be at
once forcibly elected by two or more from
the crowd, and, as he made the descent
from the hole, he was set upon and hooted
amid the most violent demonstrations of
the populace. Toward evening the num-
Der of sparrows increased to about fifty,
most of whom seemed to be but spectators,
and the excitement was not abated at dusk,
when we discontinued observations. In
the morning the noise was heard at day.
break, but at about 7 o'clock there were
no birds to be seen. On making closer ex-
animation of the tree we discovered our old
aggressive sparrow, whose ideas were the
occasion of such riotous demonstrations the
day before, hanging by the neck to cord,
each end of which was wound around a
small limb, the body banging between it
was easily identified by the distracted
shape of mis- tail feathers. We now quietly
withdrew to await any further develop.
ments. During the forenoon we could hear
on the distant trees aad hedges a solemn
chirping and piping the sparrow commu.
nifty had been moved to its depths:
heinous crime had been committed, and
justice had shed the blood of vengeance
Shortly after noon a large number of
only five or six were in the part in which
very little chirping and chattering, but
and these, we imagined, deported them.
selves in a very grave and formal manner.
One of them chirped away constantly and
SOHitWHhb oStSukatlOuSly, we LOOK MIN
to be the Coroner, and felt that under his
dingy wings he was chuckling over the fee
he would get. The balance of the jury
took turns picking at the cotton string sus-
pending the body. In the course of an
hour or so the string was picked away, and
the body of the now defunct malefactor
fell to the ground amid low chorus of
groans and go, mys, how utterly awfuls %
etc. that is, we imagined they did any
how, they certainly acted SO. We picked
up the bird ard closely examined it. The
string was partly rotten one, about foot
long. It was wound twice around the
neck, AMI considerably tangled among the
feathers. What had made the moose a fatal
one was the fastening of both ends of the
cord to the limb, otherwise it would not
have held ; and yet the bird may have been
dead when hung up. or have become en-
tangled by accidens. The suite of rooms"
is now occupied by sn apparently modest
and retiring couple. -ICinciunati Enquirer.