Daily Arizona silver belt., 1908-04-28
spAERows HAVE TROUBLES
They Don't Spend All Their Tine Act
 irE Like Rowdies and pugihsts

Souire Wally Gabiue. formerly of the Blue Ridge section of ''old Virgnny, " as he likes 10 call his native state, is credited bv his friends as being nretty we'll posted in all matters of meteor ological character and in addition tc that is regarded as well vcrsed in bird lore. Talking with q number of his familiars yesterday the squire remarked that he would venture to predict genial spring weather somewhat earlier than usual this season and this he based upon the actions of the much despised sparrows.
 "The new brood, those of the 1908 vintage, said the squire, '' is pretty nearly due TOW. In fact, have .al- ready noticed by the antics of the par ent birds that some of the infants have already. made their appearance. but I suspect they arc a little ahead of sehed- ule time. Poor little devils, he said, "thcy are like young bears and have all their troubles before them. In the first place. they get out into the streets before they are able to take care of themselves and the alert old cats are always on the watch for them and no few of the birds are gobbled up before they can say Jack Robinson.
 conc other enemy the sparrow has al so to fear .s the crow, and the old birds have to look out for these old darkies as well as the young ones, be cause the crow doesn't think anything more rclishablc than sparrow eggs for breakfast ard will ravish the nests whenever he can get chance. And that reminds me,'' continued Squire Gabine, "of sight I had very recently when 1 was crossing the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution just a lit tlc after sunrise in the morning.
 "On the side of one of the buildings there I suppose all of you have noticed whole lot of green ivy clambering up the wall. That plant is always a favorite with the sparrows for building their nests and matching out the young. I noticed on the morning l allude to one solitary old iackdaw, as some folks call the crow. and I just made up my mind l would watch the proceedings, for l just knew that thoughts were per. colating the old thief s brain as to hay | ing some sort of dainty breakfast, and while I was looking he mdae a swoop into the ivy and came out in second with good sized bird in his talons. l could see that the little fel- low had been disabled in some way and couldn' t make his escape. He could squawk, however, and he did so with will. His distress signal had won dcrful effect. It brought to his assist ance perfect myriad of his fellows and the way they went for the captor was caution. They pecked at him and clawed him necessarily with their long sharp claws as far as l. could see them and watched them for long distance, but old Dr. Crowd idn t seem to mind could see him for some time still holding onto his prey and I guess he tired his pursuers out and got awaN with his breakfast all right.
 "Now, very hard things have been said about the sparrow, but we must admit thata be has some good traits about him. He s rowdy and pug;l- ist, but he is not a quitter when he gets into fight. Everybody knows that He is n Mormon, too, and very un- faithful husband. but like an aristo- cratic sultan. he always has favoritc and when she is setting he stands by her and whenever she leaves her nest to get drink or something to eat, the old man jumps on add keeps the eggs warm until his spouse gets back. In that hc sets an example to some other birds and particularly to the old struttirg turkey gobbler. This fellow when tine hen turkeys are hatehing out the eggs just leaves them alone, not "a riu,y lc-., y,,1,oFbor cdhonl Lan,p or