82 Wild Birds 



coming, as is now his invariable custom, to the right 

 side. On this occasion the mother hopped up promptly 

 and received a part of the food into her own bill. Did 

 she eat it ? Not a particle ! The young got it all. The 

 male then retired, followed closely by his mate. In one 

 minute she has captured prey and is back to her brood. 

 The young erect their crests like their elders, and flapping 

 their half -fledged wings, try to climb to the edge of the 

 nest, but without success. 



The last day of July opened hot and sultry, and when I ap- 

 proached the nest one young Robin was already out, and making 

 for the highest point of the nesting bough. He cheeped aloud 

 for food, and looked uncomfortable, for the heat was already 

 strong. The male only was in attendance as on the previous day, 

 the female being occupied, as I suspected, in starting a new nest. 

 It was difficult to get any food past this enterprising fledgling, 

 who stood in the path and took everything that was brought. 

 Several times the bird would make a move as if intending to fly 

 to the peak of the tent, and might have done so, had I not 

 decided to replace him in his nest. The expected certainly 

 happened, for all tumbled out, shrieking and squealing. Put 

 them back and out they would go again, and flop down on the 

 grass. At last two birds consented to remain for a few minutes, 

 when the male came with an angleworm and a large green 

 katydid. He paused a moment while I photographed him, and 

 this proved to be the closing scene. The curtain dropped 

 suddenly, when first one bird and then the other left their 

 home forever, not even waiting to get the katydid. The old 

 bird at once led his brood to the woods, and being able to take 

 short flights they had no difficulty in finding safe quarters. 



The number of times the young are fed in the course of the 

 day depends upon their age and the weather. The older they 

 are the more food they require. At this nest the labor of feed- 

 ing and cleaning was shared about equally by both birds, but 

 on hot days the female was necessarily less active since there 

 was much brooding to be done, and the instinct of the male is 

 but feebly developed in this direction. 



