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CHAPTER XI. 



FEEDING OF THE YOUNG. 



BIRDS differ essentially from quadrupeds in their 

 mode of providing food for their young. Among 

 the latter, Providence has furnished the mother with a 

 supply of food for her offspring within herself till the 

 teeth arrive at sufficient growth for manducation ; 

 and hence even animals of prey do not, for several 

 weeks, bring food to their cubs, but nourish them 

 solely with milk. Birds, on the other hand, have to 

 provide food for their young from the second day 

 after they are hatched. During the first day they 

 have, in general, sufficient nutriment in the last 

 portions of the yolk of the egg, which they have 

 absorbed, as we have already seen, through the 

 umbilical vessels. 



We may follow John Hunter in dividing animal 

 life into three stages or periods, the first comprehend- 

 ing the fcetal or embryo state ; the second the 

 period immediately after birth, when the parent must, 

 in most cases, supply food; and the third dating 

 from the time when the animal begins to act for 

 itself without parental care. The first and third 

 of these stages are perhaps common to all animals ; 

 but some appear to pass immediately from the first to 

 the third stage. The nourishment Avhich is provided 

 in the second stage varies to infinity. In most in- 

 sects it is effected by the mother instinctively de- 

 positing her egg or coqoon upon or near something 

 that will form appropriate food for the young when 

 hatched. Most birds again collect food for their 



