54 BIRD NOTES 



met his poor little frame, no longer pecking at 

 other birds, hut shrinking timidly from them. 

 Apparently he feels most safe close to my window, 

 where I waste a vast deal of time and useless 

 sorrow, watching to see that the other birds do 

 not hurt him, and that he is supplied with crumbs. 

 He may recover, for he has not lost his foot ; I 

 can see it hanging under the feathers, and he gets 

 along a little better to-day, and has learnt to make 

 use of his tail as a support and balance. But he 

 grows thinner, and his eyes grow less and less 

 bold and bright. I should not know the bird but 

 that, when his father comes too, he begins, as well 

 as his maimed condition will permit, to beg to be 

 fed. There is that pretty indescribable motion of 

 the head and wings, that form of entreaty that 

 the young birds never seem to use except towards 

 their parents ; then for a moment the little thing, 

 that has suddenly grown so old-looking, looks 

 young again. And then alas ! that I should have 

 to say it ! the old bird pecks at it savagely. Not 

 only does he peck at his child when thus addressed, 

 but if he hears its cry (which has grown weak and 

 plaintive, and which can be well distinguished 

 from the others), he flies up, and begins to peck at 

 it as if he wished to kill it. The young thing 

 shrinks away, looks reproachfully, wonderingly, at 

 its parent, and takes to flight. It is gradually 



