290 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



did not forsake their young, and on two occasions, one 

 on October 25, the other five days later, they tried their 

 best to get the young out. They came to the nest 

 with flies a dozen times a minute, and instead of 

 delivering the food into the open mouths, they 

 would flutter a moment with beaks just out of reach, 

 then drop off to circle round and repeat the action. 

 All these enticing arts were of no avail ; the 

 young had not the strength or spirit to launch 

 themselves on the air, otherwise they would have 

 been saved. 



On the following day, October 31, the weather was 

 exceptionally bad ; it was cold, with a strong wind, 

 and rained heavily all day : the call of the young now 

 sounded feebler from the nest, and the eager little 

 black, flat heads and white throats were no longer thrust 

 out. Yet the old birds still laboured faithfully to find 

 them food, only on this last day they did not go far in 

 search of provender. They were too anxious, or in 

 some way conscious, of the failing strength of the 

 young; they hawked after scarce flies up and down 

 the street, always near the nest, constantly giving 

 themselves that quick little shake by means of which 

 the swallow throws the rain off his feathers. There 

 was another noticeable change in them : at intervals 

 of about a quarter of an hour one or both of the birds 

 would fly into the nest and remain there for a space 

 of three or four minutes, doubtless to warm the young. 

 At all events, I don't think it was merely to rest them- 

 selves, as on previous days I noticed that when they 



