ii8 Wild Birds 



to the hole, it is not surprising that they held aloof. I waited 

 exactly one hour and twenty-five minutes before the mother 

 again brought food to her young. Meanwhile it was interesting 

 to see what was happening, from a peep-hole of the tent. Both 

 birds would fly to the tree which they had known as their home, 

 and mechanically go through their usual motions in approach- 

 ing the nest, hopping first to this branch, then to that, following 

 a well-defined path, which they had traveled hundreds of times, 

 and finally hover over the spot which was once occupied by the 

 nest, as if to become assured that their eyes had not deceived 

 them. 



These actions, which afford an excellent illustration of the 

 force of habit, were repeated by both Bluebirds many times, 

 while they uttered their responsive phee-ur note. Again, calling 

 eagerly, both would fly towards the new position of the nest. 

 Finally, the female, who in this case assumed the whole task of 

 feeding the brood, came to the stump, paused a moment, 

 quickly entered the hole, and came out in hot haste. The 

 absolute stillness, however, had restored confidence, for in 

 five minutes she returned with a huge green grasshopper and 

 in ten minutes was back again with another. In the course of 

 each visit the plaintive call would announce her presence as she 

 approached with insect in bill, and alighted on a half -dead 

 peach tree close by. After a momentary survey of the situation 

 she would flit to the stump, sit for a few seconds on a dead 

 branch at one side, then hop down, fly to the hole, and catch on 

 the bark or cling to the rough edge of the circular opening with 

 her sharp claws, pausing there a tenth of a second, or long 

 enough to cast a swift glance backwards. In this position she 

 was photographed many times, with grasshoppers, crickets, 

 green larvae, katydids, and once with a large robber fly in her 

 beak, the profile of her head being sharply vignetted by the dark 

 circular entrance. The young must have been all a-quaver at 

 the sound of their mother's wings, for the old stump seemed to 

 become suddenly alive with brisk chirping sounds the moment 

 she touched any part of it. The bird used her tail to help sup- 

 port her weight against the side of the tree, like a Woodpecker, 



