141 



diately swallowed he had no redress except to peck at his 

 brother as soon as his mother left. 



Father Thrasher must have been on a vacation the day 

 that I found this nest for T did not see him. but he was in 

 evidence on several subsequent days. I never saw him 

 feed the little ones, though as a rule both parents share the 

 task between them. His plumage was in perfect condition, 

 while that of the female Thrasher was worn and several 



Fig-. 122. YOUXG BROWX THRASHERS 



tail feathers were missing, showing that she had borne the 

 brunt of the hard work and perhaps fought most of the 

 battles of life too. 



It was during the last week in May that I found the fore- 

 going nest. The little birds had left it and were scratching 

 for themselves early in June, while their parents undertook 

 to raise another family. This time they selected a place 

 only a short distance from the first one. but thev built tlie 



