6 Baby Birds at Home 



feet above the ground, and at others right 

 down upon it. The one shown in our 

 illustration was made in the shelter of a 

 tuft of grass. It is constructed of dry 

 grass and roots, with an inner lining of 

 fine grass and horsehair. 



The eggs generally number four or five, 

 although sometimes there are only three in 

 a clutch, and at others as many as six. 

 They are of a dingy white colour tinged 

 with purple and spotted and scrawled with 

 dark purplish brown. 



The Yellow Hammer commences to breed 

 in April and goes on until very late in the 

 summer. You may sometimes find its nest 

 containing eggs, or young, even in the month 

 of August. 



The chicks are fed by both parent birds, 

 but the male is much shyer than the female 

 as a rule. 



Nestling Yellow Hammers make a very 

 unruly family. Long before they are ready 

 to fledge, they become so boisterous that 

 before their mother has time to reach them 

 with a collection of insects, they crowd and 

 push and all but walk out of their little 

 home to meet her. 



