FEEDING OF THE YOUNG. 161 



larger birds, which are at all times omnivorous, such 

 as the magpie (Pica caudata, RAY), exhibit more 

 carnivorous propensities than usual. Speaking of 

 the magpie, Mr. Knapp says, " When a hatch is ef- 

 fected, the number of young demand a larger quan- 

 tity of food than is easily obtained, and whole 

 broods of our ducklings, whenever they stray from 

 the yard, are conveyed to the nest."* 



The same delightful writer gives an account of 

 the rearing of a brood of tomtits, which shows that 

 smaller birds are no less provident with regard to 

 the quantity of food furnished to their young than 

 the eagle or the magpie. " I was lately," says he, 

 " exceedingly pleased in witnessing the maternal 

 care and intelligence of this bird ; for the poor thing 

 had its young ones in the hole of a wall, and the 

 nest had been nearly all drawn out of the crevice 

 by the paw of a cat, and part of its brood devoured. 

 In revisiting its family, the bird discovered a por- 

 tion of it remaining, though wrapped up and hidden 

 in the tangled moss and feathers of their bed, and 

 it then drew the whole of the nest back into the 

 place from whence it had been taken, unrolled and 

 resettled the remaining little ones, fed them with 

 the usual attentions, and finally succeeded in rear- 

 ing them. The parents of even this reduced fami- 

 ly laboured with great perseverance to supply its 

 wants, one or the other of them bringing a grub, 

 caterpillar, or some insect, at intervals of less than 

 a minute, through the day, and probably in the ear- 

 lier part of the morning more frequently ; but if we 

 allow that they brought food on the whole every 

 minute for fourteen hours, and provided for their 

 own wants also, it will admit of perhaps a thou- 

 sand grubs a day for the requirements of one, and 

 that a diminished brood ; and give us some com- 

 prehension of the infinite number requisite for the 



* Journal of a Naturalist, p. 133, third edition. 



