The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-08-26
FAiTHLESS PARENTS.
Two Tragedies in the Bird World Which
Show. that Not Only Man Ia Cruel.


, Two Tragedies in the Bird World Which
Show. that Not Only Man Ia Cruel.
| have lost my faith in birds. The
ladies may do as they please henceforth
without fearing further reproof from
me.
Never again, writes correspondent,
will raise the voice of protest when
they choose to wear the wing or skin OF
the feathered songster upon their bon
nets. For I have just seen two in
stances of such 6endish cruelty on the
part of parent birds that l am tempted
villains.
Two robins had built in the top of u
hemlock tree not twenty feet from the
porch. They were good providers,
and the brood of four were doing finel 3
on cherries and angleworms when some
unfriendly bird tossed nest and all to
the ground.
There was a fire alarm then, you had
better believe. Such a chirrupping and
chirping you never heard. All the
robins in the neighhorhood came around
to gossip about the matter, and the
parent birds went into Mysteries of
grief and despair.
We got basket and put some cotton
in it and laid the young ones there,
They were almost big enough to fly.
One had been badly torn in the neck in
it's fall, but the others were safe, sound
and hungry.
After making terrible TODD about
it the parent birds succeeded in getting
to the basket and feeding their young.
They were particularly assiduous in
caring for the wounded bird, but the
latter kept getting weaker and weaker,
and we saw that it was going to die,
The next day one of the youthful
birds was gone. The parent birds had
coaxed it away. BY nightfall the
other two well ones had followed suit
Then the parents came and called to
| the sick one to follow after. 1t strug
gled to obey, but it could not. 1t was
too weak to raise it's head.
The mother scolded it bit, warned
| it that if it did not come it must bear
the consequences, and then deliberate
| ly flew off and left it alone to die.
watched it five hours for some signs OF
her return, and then as night was fall.
ing killed the tiny invalid in mercy
| A week later both parents hoped
around on the grass about the spo,
where they had deserted their little
one. They looked here and there, but
never said a word. wondered if it was
possible that remorse was gnawing al
their heartstrings. / hope SO, but
doubt it.
In corner of the porch two Phoebe
birds had built nest, and they too had
a brood of four. You never saw such q
hungry crowd, nor did you ever see
two parents work harder to fill the
mouths of their children. / loved te
sit and watch them by the hour.
The parent birds would fly to tree a
rod or two from the house, seize bug
and then fly back. Then four little
mouths would be held up beseechingly
and four little voices would clamor fol
that bug. They were quarrelsome
brood, that family. They could no!
agree as to the division of the spoils
The parents We're very patient with
them. They never uttered note, only
now and then they would give partic.
ularly obstreperous chick a peck with
the bill to keep him quiet.
One morning l found little deaf
bird on the floor of the porch under
meath the nest Whether he had beer
thrown out or had fallen out in one o
the family jars could not tell, BIT
there he was as dead as sprat, hi.
greedy little stomach fairly distendce
like marble with worms.
The next day two of his brothers hnt
shared his fate, and there was only on.
nesting left.
The parent birds now had sinecure
For couple Of hours they fed the soil
tary child faithfully. Then they dlev
off and discussed the situation. Was i
worth while to raise single bird? No
They would not do it. And, will yo,
believe it? they basely deserted thei
nest. / tried to feed the tiny thing b,
hand, but it was wasted effort. 1t dice
ofstarvation and the cold, and couple
of mornings later it's little form lay il
the selfsame place upon the piazza.
do not doubt that the unnatural parent
had pitched it over, for they were think
ing of building another nest there.
But no Phoebe bird will ever kuil,
again ON that piazza so long as an
alive to drive them away. draw Til
inc at infanticide!-N. Y. Herald