116 MATESHIP WITH BIRDS 



harsh, chiding "Charr-charr," and now and again 

 exploding into the piping whistle. Fired with the 

 spirit of emulation, the young birds do their best to 

 swell the medley, and chime in with a "Ta-ta-ta," 

 "choo-choo-choo," the whole making quite an en- 

 gaging chorus. 



It would seem, too, that these juveniles are "sup- 

 ported" by their parents much longer than is the 

 case with the average bird family. As late as mid- 

 May of one year I was wandering about with a class 

 of junior school-teachers when a strange note, 

 which suggested either a young bird or a Robin in 

 trouble, attracted attention. We searched for a 

 while before a girl called: "See! It's got a yellow 

 breast." 



The next thing noticeable was the crest of a 

 Shrike-Tit as the bird hung upside down, energetic- 

 ally cracking insects off the leaves. "Never heard 

 a Shrike-Tit call like that before," said one ; where- 

 upon up flashed a handsome male bird, and fed the 

 smaller bird as its wings fluttered in the tremulous 

 style characteristic of the young "Yellow-hammers." 

 It was seen again a few days later, looking after 

 itself for the most part, but now and again trying to 

 impose on hard-working adults by uttering quaver- 

 ing notes and quivering those eloquent wings. 



At dusk of that same day a soft, Tit-like note led 

 me to inspect a thin, 16-feet high sapling. There, 

 to my astonishment, I found five Shrike-Tits sleep- 

 ing on the outermost fringes of the thin branchlets, 

 and genially exposed to the rising moon. It was 

 altogether a novel sight to see these active, viva- 

 cious birds perched so reposef ully ; and I went many 



