THE MOST INDUSTRIOUS BIRDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9867, 25 March 1893, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE MOST INDUSTRIOUS BIRDS.

As far as has been observed, the most in dustrious bird is the thrush. In the summer it works faom 2.30 a.m. t09.30p.m., a period of 19 hours out of 24. During this day’s work it tries to satisfy the insatiate appetites of its young brood by feeding them no loss than 206 times. Blackbirds are nearly as hard working, as they are busily employed 17 hours ; the parents divide their labours, the male feeding the young 34 times and the female 65 times. The poor little titmouse is kept hard at it; it has been observed it feeds its young 417 times in a day. The wren is foolishly industrious. Owing to its oapri cious taste as to the locality of its nest, it has the habit of building several nests, leaving then in a more or less unfinished state until it finally decides upon the most favourable spot, another industrious bird is the British sparrow. The sparrow is now found all over the known world, and is as unbiquitous as the inhabitants of those islands. He is perfectly fearless of any living thing from man downwards, and makes himself thoroughly at home, either in the country or in the crowded city tboroughfarea. The sparrow breeds from four to seven times in the course of a year, and, notwithstanding the bad name frequently given to this bird, shows by the very number of insects consumed that, if given fair play, some considerable credit ought to be placed to the other side of the account. The stormy petrels live in a constant state of activity and may be seen flying about during the entire day, and heard throughout the night. During a gale the petrol is all animation.