Evening star., 1898-09-10
BIRDS ON TALL BUILDINGS.
How the Old Ones Teach Their Off
spring to Fly.

spFaHs 10 Ffy.
From Our Animal Friends.
Since the tall office buildings have come
into vogue the sparrows have gone up
ward to build their nests, and broods are
reared every season a hundred feet or
more above the street. The young fiedge-
lings are safe from cats and annoying
small boys, but their security in that re-
spect is offset by the danger of falling out
Of the nest. The parent birds are so fear
full of such an accident that one or the
other stands guard at all hours OF. the
day
birds to fly the parents show their anx-
iety in many ways. They seem to try to
induce their young TO remain in their nests
until their wings are strong enough to sup
port them; but if one should flop out be-
fore the proper time the two Old birds go
to the rescue.
An instance of this kind happened a few
days ago at old Trinity. The steeple of
the church is a favorite breeding place OF
the sparrows, and clumsy nests are poked
away in every nook and corner. In a nest
perched nearly up to the cross that sur
mounts the steepie the second brood of
young sparrows have just reached the fly
ing age, and the other day the foremost
youngster Topped over the side of the nest
and came tunbing down to the hard pave
Inent below. His vain efforts to use his
wings only multiplied his strange gyra
ttons through the air, but before he could
reach the ground the two parent sparrows
had darted downward in time to receive
him on their backs
1t was Impossible for them to fly with
the bird on their shoulders, but they glid-
ed slowly downward with wings outspread
until they reached the top of the trees
where they managed to land the young
ster safely among the shetering branches.
Then they gave a chirp of delight and re-
n rp hn nt har
against any such foolhardy venture.
The first lessons in flying are very diff
cult for young birds reared in such high
homes. The first flight of fedgeling
should attempt to fly downward to the
streets below he would undoubtedly plunge
forward with such impetuosity as to kill
him when he reached the pavement Con-
sequently the parent birds direct the first
flight. either to a neighboring roof a short
distance below. or, If the high building
stands alone, they teach the 1edgeling to
jump from their nest first straight out and
then upward, and at last back again to-
ward the building. They thus describe an
upward circle and land with a flop upon
the roof
On these tall roofs the young birds re-
ceive their regular lessons flying back
and forth in perfect safety, with neither
cats nor small boys to disturb them. and
tnefe they remain until their strength and
their wings are fully developed Then
.hcJ are taught 10 ny down TO the roofs
below, and from there to the streets
The first attempts of the young birds to
ny from their nests to the roof overhead
are amusing. They jump out into space
ana nutter with uncertain fight upward
ana then attempt to turn a sharp angle
They are not always successful and some
tmes begin to descend before they have
reached the edge of the roof: but If there
Is canger of their missing 1t the parent
birds flop against them with such force as
to knock them several feet toward the
nulleins. 1t is rude way to treat the
little ones, but it is safe and effectuaI