48 Bird Comrades 



had the good fortune to watch two females erecting the 

 walls of their tiny cottages, and a pretty sight it was. 



The redstart has some interesting ways. One of them 

 is his habit of spreading out his wings and tail as he perches 

 or flits about in the trees, as if he were anxious to display 

 the fiery trimmings that so elegantly set off his little black 

 suit. Blood will tell, for I have seen the young redstarts 

 imitating their parents by spreading out their odd, croppy 

 tails in a comical way. 



How early in life young birds, are taught some of the 

 lessons that are needful for their own safety! One day 

 I heard a young redstart chirping for his dinner. I 

 quietly thrust my head into the thicket, and soon espied 

 the birdkin perched on a twig only about a rod away. 

 He either did not see me, or else decided that I was not a 

 bugaboo. A few minutes later the mother darted into 

 the enclosure and fed her baby. She was too much 

 absorbed in her duties to notice me until the repast was 

 over; then she suddenly caught sight of her unwelcome 

 caller. She stood transfixed with astonishment for one 

 breathless moment, then uttered a piercing cry of alarm 

 that sent the little one dashing away like a streak of 

 lightning. Plainly the youngster understood his mam- 

 ma's signal, for until she uttered it he had sat perfectly 

 quiet and unconcerned, perhaps not even aware of my 

 presence. Birds are taught the language of fear at a 

 tender age. Of course they learn it so readily because 

 there is a basis of timidity in their natures, implanted 

 by heredity. 



