THE CRADLE IN THE REEDS 127 



quickly goes off in search of food, while 

 the one which has just arrived at the 

 nest will protect the young until the 

 other returns. By doing this they are 

 able to keep their young warm all through 

 the day, and also keep them provided 

 with a good supply of food. 



When the young are able to leave the 

 nest, even before they can fly, they are 

 very clever climbers. Their legs seem to 

 be stronger than their wings, and they 

 climb about the reeds with the greatest 

 dexterity. If one should have the mis- 

 fortune to fall into the water, the parents 

 will flutter over it calling excitedly. The 

 baby will show very little signs of fear, 

 for it just flaps its wings, and kicks 

 about until it reaches another reed, then 

 it quickly climbs up it. 



While I was photographing the young, 

 I noticed a very interesting fact which 

 goes to prove that the bird remembered 

 which young it had fed. The two babies 



