THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF THE HOUSE SPARROW.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1414, 12 May 1886, Page 3

THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF THE HOUSE SPARROW.

The sparrow 5s an autocrat, especially addicted to divorcing his partner upon tho smallest pretext. ~ I have elsewhere chronciled two small dramas In sparrow life which I watched from beginning to end. The actors in tho first were a pair living in a hole in a maple tree before my window. For some undiscovered reason the graceless head of tho household decided to make a change in his domes it arrangements, and to begin by divorce. In that case the female had the advantage, since the home was not an open nest, but a castle. She had possession, and kept it for two days, in spite of violent vituperation and the most threatening manner. In this case, also, 1 observed that she never “talked back,” indulged in unseemly scolding, or assumed tho offensive in any way. She appeared indifferent to his opinions, but enough attached to her homo to endure his annoyances for two days before she tired of the controversy, ■When she at last accepted her fate and departed, I saw, him bring homo the bride, _as coquettish a young thing as can bo 4ptißnagined, coax her by many wiles to examine the snug house, follow her about, and finally induce her to take up her residence with him. The other case was Qf trouble on the other side. A cock sparrow lost one leg, and his mate who had nestlings to feed, attempted to divorce him. Several birds appeared upon the scene, oyident aspirants for the soon-to-be-vacant_ place ; but tho little fellow, though evidently suffering so greatly that several times ho appeared to bo dying, never failed to revive and attack with fury every pretender, and after a day or two of this conflict was able to resume bis duties as assistant provider for tho little ones, when his spouse amiably “kissed and made up.” All through, the trouble she never displayed temper. She refused him admission into tho honeysuckle vino whore tho nest was, but she would come out and alight near him on tho window-sill, talk to him calmly, reproach him, evidently reminding him of the babies to feed, and ho not able to help. To these remarks ho made little reply. As I said, tho sparrow is a domestic tyrant, brooking no opposition. I have never observed a case In which the hen had her own way. lie is so great a bully, so self-willed and violent, that whatever the cause of disagreement, he holds out with dogged obstinacy till he gets his will. In one case there was a difference of opinion as to the site for 'a nest.; ho wishing to occupy an empty cottage of man’s providing, while she, with finer instinct, had decided upon a charming crotch of an evergreen tree. At first she opposed him strongly, scattering the material he brought, throwing tho choicest bits to the winds, while ho stormed and scolded, and brought more. In the interval between thwarting his plans, she would accumulate materials in tho chosen tree. Ho scorned to touch them; ho simply ignored her designs, and proceeded with obstinacy almost sublime to bring material, till she was worn out, gave up, aud accepted tho of ao eschapso.