200 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



to put his whole head and neck down the parent's 

 throat in a way which looks exactly as if the 

 mother were swallowing the chick. 



The Gannets and other sea birds make a fish 

 soup in their stomachs and feed the young on 

 this until they are able to catch fish for them- 

 selves. 



It was on the ninth day, when the Thrush 

 nestlings were beginning to look quite respect- 

 able, with a full coat of feathers, that tragedy 

 came to the nest. 



Shan had gone to his brushwood blind at the 

 usual hour and was preparing to take his daily 

 picture, for he wanted the series complete, when 

 he noticed that the nestlings, instead of being com- 

 fortably snuggled together, as he usually saw them 

 when they were alone, or stretching up their necks 

 for food, as was their custom when the parents 

 were near, were cowering do\^al in the bottom of 

 the nest. 



Listening, the boy could hear the sharp "Pit- 

 pit!" or alarm cry of the parents, and his ear, 

 now well accustomed to the call of the birds, at 

 once told him that there was danger abroad. 



His first thought was of a Hawk, then he re- 

 membered that a Hawk will rarelv attack a 



