6 Bird -Lore 



ready to leave. Standing at the very edge of the ledge, they flapped their 

 wings in exercise, as though they would like to sail across the gorge to meet 

 their parents, and yet dared not. Their vision had become exceedingly acute, 

 and every passing bird was watched with the keenest interest. They always 

 saw the approaching parents long before the human eye could perceive them, 

 and awaited them with the most intense excitement. They danced about the 

 ledge and uttered the wild screams of their race. It seemed as though at any 

 moment one of them might tumble from the precarious position. To add to 

 the excitement, the parent bird never came directly to the nest, but passed 

 by as if to tantalize her offspring. When she did come to the ledge, a wild 

 fight ensued among the young for the possession of the game, and for a few 

 minutes the proprietorship was undecided. Usually, however, the first one to 

 get a hold managed to draw the prey beneath it, completely covering it and 

 allowing the others no chance whatsoever. On this day, two pigeons were 

 brought in, one by the female and one by the male. In carrying their prey, the 

 old birds extended their talons straight out behind, so that the victim was 

 frequently visible beyond the tail. After feeding the young, the adult birds 

 usually sailed across the gorge to a favorite perch in the top of some dead 

 hemlocks that grew on the opposite talus slope and projected above the roof 

 of the forest. Occasionally they glided back, to observe the young before going 

 in search of more food. They sailed silently, seldom flapping the wings except 

 before alighting, when it was evidently more to check than to accelerate the 

 speed or to change the direction of flight. At this time one of the young was 

 considerably further developed than the others. 



On June i6, the birds were watched for another four hours. Upon our 

 arrival, one of the young was seen to be picking the bones of a Pigeon, and 

 during the course of the afternoon two other Pigeons and a Meadowlark 

 were carried to the ledge. The birds now selected were of larger size than those 

 earHer in the season, but at all times they were species of the more open 

 country. 



On June 21, but one young remained on the ledge. The others were flying 

 about the gorge, but toward the latter part of the afternoon returned to the 

 nesting ledge, evidently to roost. The first young to leave was now flying 

 about with the ease of the adults, and could be distinguished from his parents 

 only with diflSculty. He, likewise, took great interest in the Rough-winged 

 Swallows and frequently pursued them, striking, like his parents, from the 

 side. The pre\dous year the young were watched taking food from the talons 

 of the parents in mid-air. As the adult bird glided up the gorge bearing food, 

 the young flew out to meet it, coming from below and to the side, and struck 

 the prey from its claws even as they were now striking at the live Swallows. 



The young bird that remained on the ledge, though frequently exercising 

 its wings, seemed to be fearful of trusting itself to the air, and even when clods 

 were tossed down, it lacked the stamina to go. Finally, however, as it perched 



