A FIGHT FOR A WORM. 81 



the one hand, and this valiant little thrush 

 on the other ; the object of the fight was a 

 worm. The " great globe itself" held its firm 

 grip on one end of the worm ; the thrush 

 pulled away at the other, and at last came off 

 conqueror. When he had fairly drawn out 

 this long and wriggling prey, he killed it, laid 

 it out flat on the grass, and began promptly 

 to search about for another. Meanwhile the 

 young thrush, excited no doubt by the battle 

 he had witnessed from the tree, and in dis- 

 obedience of the paternal command, flew 

 down upon the grass and stood staring with 

 open mouth at the active old bird, who on 

 seeing his son came running back, and 

 picking up the dead worm, put it into the 

 young one's mouth, and it was at once swal- 

 lowed. Worms seemed to be plentiful in the 

 grass, perceptible to the parent bird's quick 

 eye, although I could see none. When the 

 young one had had enough, they both flew 

 up into the trees, and began to clean their 

 beaks by rubbing them on the branches. 

 The young chap seemed to be quite as strong 

 on the wing as his parent, though on the 

 ground he was very stupid and ignorant, but 

 he watched his progenitor's performances 

 with an inquisitive eye; this seemed to be 

 his first lesson in worm-hunting. I said 



