HOW HE IS FED 19 
throat, and poke the food far down; so the 
young one does not even have the trouble of 
swallowing. 
This looks as if it must hurt, but the nestling 
seems to like it, and is always ready for more. 
The pigeon mother lets the young one poke his 
beak down her throat, and get the food for 
himself. 
If the food is hard, like corn, birds who feed 
in this way let it stay in the crop till it is soft 
and better fitted for tender throats, before they 
give it out. 
It is comical to see a nest full of little birds 
when the father or mother comes with food. 
All stretch up and open their big mouths as 
wide as they can, and if they are old enough, 
they cry as if they were starving. 
Some birds bring food enough for all in the 
nest, every time they come. A cedar-bird, feed- 
ing wild cherries, brought five of them every 
time, one for each of the five nestlings. One 
cherry was held in his mouth, but the other 
four were down his throat, and had to be jerked 
up one by one. 
Other birds bring only one mouthful at a 
time, and when there are five or six in the 
nest, they have to make as many journeys before 
all are fed. 
