STRAWBERRIES FOR DESSERT. 63 



cry as mucli as to say, " Can anybody beat that 

 pair now? " 



In a moment he fell to the serious work of 

 filling their hungry mouths. Being very wide 

 awake, the young birds readily saw where sup- 

 plies came from, and then they accompanied 

 their parent to the ground, following every step, 

 as he dug almost without ceasing. After a 

 tolerably solid repast of large white grubs, he 

 slipped away from the dear coaxers, disappeared 

 on the other side of the fence, and before they 

 recovered from their bewilderment at finding 

 themselves deserted, returned bearing in his 

 beak a strawberry. The young thrush received 

 the dainty eagerly, but finding it too big to swal- 

 low, beat it on the fence as if it were a worm. 

 Of course it parted, and a piece fell to the 

 ground, which the waiting parent went after, 

 and administered as a second mouthful. 



For a long time the little ones were fed on 

 the fence, and the father was so happy that 

 every few minutes he was forced to retire be- 

 hind a neighboring tree and "make gladness 

 musical upon the other side." 



After that morning the thrasher came daily 

 to the place, and a dessert of strawberries inva- 

 riably followed the more substantial meal, but 

 never again did he bring more than one of his 

 family with him. 



