io6 



Wild Birds 



the open mouths. In three minutes she was back with another, 

 this time stopping to clean the nest again. Five minutes by the 

 watch had passed when she returned with a brown-gray-winged 

 insect over an inch long, which an entomologist might be able 

 to name from the photograph. She paused for a moment while 

 the young called eagerly and stretched their necks to the ut- 

 most; then she helped the insect down the throat of the lucky 

 bird. However, it stuck at the gullet, and the little one gulped 

 hard before its protruding wings had disappeared. 



Fig. 61. Female Red-eyed Vireo ready to deliver a large insect. Photo- 

 graphed against natural background. Compare Fig. 60. 



As is well known, the young bird has wonderful powers of 

 digestion and assimilation, and after the first week the rapidity 

 of its development becomes even more striking. A lapse of 

 twenty-four hours now means a great stride in growth. It 

 takes food almost constantly throughout the day, and digests 

 it quickly, though imperfectly. The adult Vireo, like the Fly- 

 catcher, is known to regurgitate the indigestible parts of its food 

 in pellets. 



The male Vireo seldom came with food, and then always with 

 an extra degree of caution. Twice he followed swiftly after his 



