NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
cries, he retired out of sight behind the nest 
to watch and listen, only his head showing, 
in attitude of attention. He remained there, 
motionless, as long as the nestlings cried, 
and when all was quiet in the nest he slipped 
away. I was strongly reminded of certain 
nursery scenes I had witnessed, where a pa- 
tient mother waited out of sight for a refrac- 
tory baby to go to sleep, not daring to leave 
it crying, and yet not wishing to humor it. 
The food brought had of course been given 
by regurgitation ; but I am positive it had 
not been completely digested, for I distinctly 
saw the end of the body of a moth or grub 
sticking out sidewise from the bill of one of 
the babies after the father had finished feed- 
ing him. 
As we watched this brood develop day 
after day, the equalization of labor between 
father and mother impressed me greatly. If 
either could be said to be the more tireless 
in caring for the young, it was the father. 
He slept on a crotch a foot away from the 
hole, and the mother, after the first week, 
166 
