The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09

IN choosing locations for their nests the
loss of life among them would be greater
than it is. There is something more than
mere instinct brought to bear, by birds,
upon the problem of nest-building. Two
or three days ago I watched a pair of
wrens accommodating about a bird-box in
tree. There were four apartments in the
little tenement-two above and two below
The little cock evidently preferred one of
the upper chambers. Perhaps the view up
ever, had just as evidently cast her vote for
lower berth. The pair stood on the
upper sill and gazed long and intently into
the little room. Then they flew to the
lower sill and repeated the perform ance.
Then the head of the house few away, and
returned with little stick which he car
ried upstairs.
Clearly the mistress would none of that.
She hauled that stick out and slowed it
away below. He flew to q nearby twig,
where he perched and scolded for long
time, but she paid absolutely no attention to
him and continued to bring sticks, which
she built into nest in one of the lower
compartments. After watching and scold-
ing for some time he finally gave in, and
when / came away they were both con-
tentedly carrying in sticks on the lower
floor. Candor compels me to state that
the little hen showed the superior wisdom.
The lower rooms were far more sheltered
tQdu tHe upper OucS. Iuey nave worked
industriously, and now, from where l sit
writing, can see the master of the house
sitting on little branch beside his door,
singing to his lady, who is doubtless
within.
While sat watching the efforts of the
widowed sparrow to bring up her family
in creditable manner my attention was
attracted to the performance of number
of house-fnches in an ad jacent tree. One
| female-was perched quietly on a branch
watching two males Just below her. These
were evidently belligerents. They lay fat
along limb, about three feet apart, glar-
ing savagely at each other. Their brilliant
crimson caps and threats shone in the SUM-
light, and they bore startling resent lance
to two serpents. On still another branch
fourth finch sat, also an interested spec
tator.
After several feints the two combatants
| finally rushed at each other, and rising in
the air, fought viciousiy for some little
time. Their struggles took them quite
! they gone than the third finch approached
| the little hen. He bowed and dipped and
| flew about her in q most engaging manner,
and it was quite evident that the tickle
| Jade regarded him with favoring eye.
She edged off little, flew to a higher
branch and watched, but did not repel his
advances. He hoped quite close to her,
| and they finally flew away together. They
were scarcely out of sight when the con-
auering hero returned, flushed with tri-
umph; but his lady fair had flown. He
seemed unable to believe his eyes. He
| hoped from twig to twig, darted back and
| forth about the tree, and from projecting
branch called loud and long. Then he sat
| for long time. dejectedly huddled in a
little feathery heap, probably musing on
the uncertainty of feminine nature, and
| finally flew off. I wonder if he consoled
himself with the good old adage about the
| 'sother fish in the sea"
| They are very human, these small kin
of ours. Just now they are in the height
of their nesting season and any day in the
week a bird household would be justified
in hanging out the sign, This is our busy
day." Look out when I will, the air is
thronged with the rushing toilers, flying
from field to trees, from the trees back to
the fields. There are many mouths to feed,
and bringing bugs and worms, one by one,
is slow work. a pair of buntings that I
watched the other day had struck
| bonanza. I do not know where their nest
was, but they had found a worms nest in
liye-oak tree and the pair made dozen
journeys or SO apiece to and from that tree
while I sat watching humming bird
whose nest ! suspected to be near by. Each
trip meant death to at least one worm.
Our little friends are a sore trial just at
present to truit-growers, but they have per-
| formed yeoman service in keeping the trees
| free from insects and doubtless consider
that they have earned the right to an occa-
| sional cherry.