136 OUT WITH THE BIRDS 



never to leave her charge. Whether or not she 

 and the male changed places, or the male fed 

 her while she kept her long vigil, could not be 

 learned; but for eighteen days the nest could 

 not once be detected unoccupied. It was on the 

 morning of the fifteenth of the month that a 

 little youngster dove's head was seen poking out 

 from beneath the parent; and by noon that day 

 the nest was empty. When at that time an in- 

 vestigation was begun, a youngster ridiculously 

 bob-tailed and immature, rose from the ground 

 near the foot of the poplar, and shot off like a 

 batted ball over the shrubbery, to remain in- 

 cognito thenceforth. 



The third week of June was fledgling week. 

 Little robins, almost tailless and very streaked 

 of coat, had left their nests and each brood was 

 scattered. It proved a serious indiscretion to 

 catch one of these youngsters, even for the pur- 

 pose of getting his portrait; for at his first 

 startled twitter the parents came instantly, and 

 aided by three or four grackles, set up a tre- 

 mendous din. There was no refuge from it 

 even in the tent, as they stormed and bombarded 

 the place, and their invective was most scathing. 

 They soon won; the youngster was liberated 



