9 8 Wild Birds 



makes a curious picture. Any danger signal is now likely to 

 bring them off in an instant. This particular brood had their 

 abode in a pine tree close to our house. On July iyth, shortly 

 before the picture was made, the family of five was standing 

 bolt upright, all facing one way, as if under military discipline. 



Fig. 57. Devouring the excreta : an unusual attitude. 



When their branch was touched, all but the two shown in Fig. 

 142 gained the nearest trees in their first flight and escaped. 

 This pair came to the ground, and were replaced in the nest. 

 In their second attempt, made ten minutes later, the larger of 

 the two birds was more successful. It flew to the roof of the 

 barn, not far above it, and after hopping to the ridge-pole, 

 made the upper branches of a tall elm. In the larger of the 



