BEHIND THE VEIL IN BIRDLAND 



a nest containing four youngsters, and by the side of this the 

 mother was lying dead. The faithful little parent had just managed 

 to reach its young, and then fell dead ; but it was interesting to 

 discover that her mate went on feeding the family, and succeeded 

 in rearing them, and when we visited the spot again, we were 

 delighted to find the plump babies sitting outside their nest, while 

 their proud parent was singing lustily in the tree above. 



A few days later they went out into the orchard to seek their 

 own living; but when the young desert their first home, and their 

 parents have completed their duties of incubation, all song ceases, 

 and the orchard in July is still and silent. The music in Nature's 

 great concert hall is over, until again the cry of the Cuckoo is 

 heard in the land, calling the Warblers back to the flowers and 

 the leaves. 



18 



