38 OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS. 
what he was doing, one of them made his bill look like 
a hawk’s bill, all curved or crooked. He had pecked 
so hard at the food on the board floor of his cage that 
the hard taps had bent his soft bill out of shape, and it 
remained so after the bird had grown up. We have 
seen a blue jay and a thrush and a towhee, each with 
BLUE JAY. 
his beak out of shape, twisted to one side or broken. 
This must have been done when they were little. 
Birds, like other people, must have the right start if 
they are to be beautiful when they are older. 
Though young birds can see the food before them, 
they have to try a long while before they know exactly 
how to take hold of it. They make us think of real 
