File:True bird stories from my note-books (1903) (14563883387).jpg

Identifier: truebirdstories00mill (find matches)
Title: True bird stories from my note-books
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Miller, (Harriet (Mann), Mrs.) 1831- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Boston and New York, Houghton, Mifflin and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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self. Soin the early morning, long before any one, excepta bird, wants to get up or even to be wakened,he will begin his loud squawks, and never stoptill one of his kind mistresses gets up, takes himin her hand, and holds him shut up in it underher cheek. There he is happy and still, and shecan sleep as long as she likes. Did ever a birdhave so droll a sleeping-place ? The second queer sparrow was almost deadwhen brought in from the street. He recoveredhis health entirely, but he, too, can never fly, sohe is obliged to live in a house. This bird isnot sentimental — far from it! he is very fondof eating, perhaps even a little greedy. Andbesides being fond of his dinner, he seems to likea joke. He always insists on going to meals, for heunderstands the dinner-bell as well as any one.He squawks and calls and makes a commotion tillhe is carried to the table and set down upon it.Then he runs about, tastes everything, makes uphis mind what he likes best, and eats as muchas he wants of it.
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ENGLISH SPARROW THREE SPARROWS IN A HOUSE 99 He is fond of a joke, as I said, and he shows itin this way: the thing he likes best to eat is butter,and after taking a bit, he always wants to wipehis beak, as birds do. The place he chooses touse for this purpose is the coat-sleeve of the headof the family. Grease spots on the coat-sleeveare too much for the most amiable man to endure,so the bird was early made to understand he mustnot do it, but must use the tablecloth or theedge of a dish. The clever bird knew what was meant, for thisfamily talk so much to their pets that they learnto understand a great deal. They seem to knowperfectly well what is said to them, and what theymust not do. The English sparrow is one ofthe sharpest witted of birds, and he plainly under-stood — as his manner showed — that he mustnot use a coat-sleeve for a napkin. But English sparrows have no notion of giv-ing up anything they like, and this one is notonly obstinate like his fellows, but has a spiceof

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