32 THE FIRST BOOK OF BIRDS 
I did not go far, because I wanted to see 
that no one caught the little one. He hopped 
about in the grass a long time, while his parents 
flew around him in great distress. Many times 
he tried to fly, but he could not rise more than 
two feet from the ground. 
At last he seemed to make up his mind to 
climb a tree, for when he came to one with a 
rough bark he began to go up. He would fly 
up a few inches, then hold on with his claws to 
rest. And so, half flying and half climbing, he 
went on till he reached the lowest limb. On 
that he perched and was quiet, glad to rest after 
his hard work. The old birds were happy, too, 
and brought food to him, and so I left them. 
