The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
THE CAT AND THE SPARROWS '

Some torn leaves and broken strands
OF Ivy showed how the cat had reached
its little victims. The parent birds
were still alive, having evidently
flown away at the approach of the fe-
line, and now sat punched up mourn
fully on the ledge near the torn and
dismantled nest.
I gathered up the feathers at my
feet and still they sat there, evidently
not afraid Of me. uttering at times a
most plaintive bird cry, quite different
to the brisk and cheerful twittering
OF the day before.
Now and then, with bravery I
thought wonderful, the father bird
would dart frantically into the Jlole
where the nest had been and qfick-
~ fly out again. Occasionally they
would vary the monotony of their
mourning by a short flight into a small
apple tree in the garden. ever uttering
their plaintive cries. but half an hour
or so would see them back on the
ledge again.
And so it went on for a week, the
mournfnl persistency of the bereft lit
tie parents really getting on my nerves,
when one morning / saw the male bird
carrying a good sized twig into. the
recess where the nest had been.
Ine0 i sat up and LOOK nOIlce. IL
was evident he intended building an
other nest. Many times he journeyed
back and forth with twigs and wisps
Of straw, but the female bird would
not help him. Evidently she strongly
disapproved of rebuilding in the same
place, and the facetious one in our
family said "she was a sensible woman"
However that might be, the male bird
could not build alone and finally gave
Up the attempt.
They still frequented the ledge and
often I would speak to them and throw
crumbs up for them during their fire.
quent flights TO the apple tree, and in
return they seemed to listen to me and
perk their pretty heads and glance at
me with their bright. restless eyes.
About three weeks, however, after
the nest had been desecrated. [ missed
the mother bird and supposed the other
would soon follow. when. to my aston
ishment she came flying back-faith
less spouse-with another bird attend
ing her. The male bird was sitting
on the ledge, as usual. and evidently
did not take kindly to this new addi-
ton to his family. He few at them
hercely and for few minutes there
was a serious battle and feathers flew
plentifully. But the original owner
ousted the other two. and for the rest
of the day remained on the ledge to
guard what he chose to consider his
premises.
Next day the faithless one again re-
turned with her new mate. and all
though / was not there to see II, the
children told me there was another
battle royal in which the female bird
and her new mate were apparently
worsted, for they few away and we
never saw them again.
The father bird fingered for some
days after that, but a spring day TO a
bird is long, and bye and bye he, too,
few away to seek, I hope, new sur
roundings and a more faithful mate
poor little fellow.
This year the ivy covered hollow in
the wall is again occupied. but the
wise successors of my little friends
taught by that wonderful instinct OF
which we know so little, do not enter
the hollow by way of the ledge, but
by an unseen entrance between the
houses-the side entrance" as the wag
in the family calls it.
can hear the sweet little .'tweet-
tweet" of the young ones, and occa-
sionally get a glimpse of the father
and mother flying between the houses
and although 1 am denied the pleasure
Of watching their pretty ways as ir
former years, L rejoice that they are
safer and that there is not likely tc
be repetition Of last years tragi,
bird story