46 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



scream, until parental authority puts a stop to 

 their unruly behaviour. Like children, they 

 soon fall out : it is a sign of good health. 

 When a quarry is brought in, no matter what 

 it may be fur, feather, or fin they are all at 

 it each one wants more than his mouth will 

 hold ; but this fun does not last, for the mother 

 - sometimes the father breaks it up and 

 divides it in fair proportions. If they do not 

 act as their fond parents think they ought to 

 do, after all the examples set them, they get 

 punished : the parents have two ways of taking 

 a cub by the neck ; one is very pleasant, the 

 other is the reverse. 



It is interesting to watch young birds. Some 

 are blind and quite helpless for some time after 

 they are hatched ; others come out with all 

 their faculties and begin at once to get their 

 own living, for they follow their parents directly. 

 Blind and naked as most young birds are for a 

 time, they know when their parents are coming 

 with food, and when danger is near, by the 

 different calls given by these. 



There they are in the nest before you, their 

 weak necks moving from side to side, and all 

 their mouths wide open, for they have heard 

 the feeding signal. But the mother sights you, 



