192 HOMING WITH THE BIRDS 



be obtained in this way. These proceedings result 

 in no harm whatever to the birds as I never have 

 failed to return to a nest, and have it remain, any 

 young bird that I handled for pictorial purposes. 

 I was particularly happy in the selection of a 

 perch for these young birds, for just at the time it 

 was needed I was able to find a maple branch hav- 

 ing two nearly parallel limbs small enough for the 

 young birds to perch upon without an appearance 

 of discomfort or awkwardness. I made several 

 studies of them before returning them to their 

 nest and their parents. In the best of these the 

 oldest and youngest nestlings were placed for con- 

 trast upon the top limb, the oldest one in a clean- 

 cut profile, the baby face front. On the limb below 

 were the three intermediate birds, the one to the 

 left breast front with his head turned so that his 

 beak is in profile, the middle one with his back 

 toward the lens, his head sufficiently turned to give 

 a good view of the beak and eye, and the one 

 on the right perched in profile giving a different 

 view of his head, beak, and eye. The limbs were 

 covered with lichens, which so harmonized with 

 the feathering of the young birds that it made of 

 them almost perfect examples of protective coloura- 

 tion. Added to all of the care used in posing these 

 birds, it must be noted that all birdland does not 

 contain nestlings surpassing them in beauty or 

 interest. In family, they are near enough the 

 hawk tribe to have big, liquid eyes, curved beaks, 



