The times., 1898-10-17
THE SPARRoWS.
They Build Their Nests n Hundred
Feet Above the Streets.
(From Our Animal Friends.)

(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 100 feet or more
above the street. The young fiedgelings
are safe from cats and annoying small
boys. but their security in that respect
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 on guard at all hours of
the day.
When the time approaches for the
young birds to fly the parents show their
anxiety in many ways. They seem to try
to induce their young to remain in their
nests until their wings are strong enough
to support them, but If one should flop
out before the proper time the two o.d
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 nest perched nearly up to the cross
that surmounts the steeple the second
brood of young sparrows have just reach
ed the flying age, and the other day the
foremost youngster Topped over the side
of the nest and came tumbling down to
the hard pavement below. His vain eff
forts to use his wings only multiplied his
strange gyrations through the air, but
before he could reach the ground the
two parent sparrows had darted down.
ward IN time to receive him on their
backs.
1t was impossible for them to fly with
the bird on their shoulders, but they
glided slowly downward with wings out
spread until they reached the top of the
trees, where they managed to land the
youngster safely among the sheltering
branches. Then they gave a chirp of de-
light and returned to the nest to warn
the others against any such foolhardly
venture.
The first lessons in flying are very diff
cult for young birds reared in such high
homes The first flight of the fedgling
must of necessity be short and If he
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.
Consequently. the parent bird directs the
first fight, either to neighboring roof a
short distance below. or. If the high build
ing stands alone, they teach the hedgling
to jump from their nest straight out and
then upward, and at last back again
toward the building. They thus describe
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
there they remain until their strength
and their wings are fully developed. Then
! they are taught to fly down to the roofs
below. and from there to the streets
The first attempts of the young birds
| to fly from their nests to the roof over.
head are amusing. They Jump out into
space and fiutter with uncertain flight up.
| ward, and then attempt to turn sharr
angle. They are not always successful
and sometimes begin to descend before
| they have reached the edge of the roof
| but II there is danger of their missing Il
| the parent birds flop against them with
| such force as to knock them several feet
| toward the building. 1t is rude way tc
treat the little ones, but it is safe and eff
| fectual.