78 Wild Birds 



and again the cock came to the nesting bough but without food. 

 He wished only to take a look and see that all was well. At one 

 of these visits he stood on silent guard for full ten minutes, then 

 sped away, calling loudly, wit ! wit I wit ! 



Fig. 47. Cock Robin standing at inspection, after having fed his young. 



When eight days old, on July 26th, the young began to 

 present their spotted breasts over the walls of the nest and to 

 spread, stretch, and flap their wings, the quills of which now 

 showed half an inch of feather at the tips. At every visit of 

 their elders the whole brood went wild with excitement, but 

 soon quieted down, and the intervals were spent in preening 



