Tlrasher WESTERN BIRDS 



while the adults fed to some extent by regurgitation, 

 they also fed the newly-hatched young fresh food, such 

 as brown worms. 



This fact in regard to the feeding was the most aston- 

 ishing thing that I found out about them. When the 

 nestling was a day old one bird appeared in the vine with 

 a long brown worm in its bill. Standing over the nest it 

 ran the worm back and forth in its bill, then stooped 

 down as if feeding the young. When the bird raised its 

 head it still held the worm, or a portion of it, and I 

 wondered if the young had managed to swallow a part 

 of it, or was the parent feeding it the essence of worm? 

 The next day one bird fed a small grub and the other 

 one brought another inch-long worm which it tried to 

 feed, then swallowing it itself. 



When the nestling (there proved to be only one) was 

 fourteen days old I found it beside the nest preening 

 itself. It was fully feathered but the tail was short and 

 the bill not yet curved. In color it resembled the old 

 birds. Though not able to fly, its large legs enabled it 

 to run over the ground at a rapid pace. Its note was 

 whit or te-whit. 



From the actions of the adults it was evident that they 

 intended to raise another brood, for the male was again 

 singing from the house top, and the female was shaping 

 and picking at the old nest, and would not allow the 

 nestling to cuddle down beside her as he wished to do 

 and thought was his right. However, the second brood 

 was not raised in this nest as something drove the birds 

 away. 



It was quite evident to the watcher that these big 

 brown western birds were helping rid that garden and 

 neighborhood of noxious insect life and fully deserve the 

 protection accorded them. 



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