1 94 ANIMAL BIOLOGY 



The old birds would come near, displaying tempting 

 morsels in their bills but with no intention of feeding 

 their young so long as they remained in the nest. By such 

 tantalizing methods they soon drew them away. Both 

 old and young hung about the apple tree for several 

 days, when they disappeared and were not seen again." 



Even after the young leave the nest they are accom- 

 panied by the parents for quite a while, and it is not un- 

 common to see a young robin two-thirds grown begging 

 its indulgent parents for food, and being fed with angle- 

 worms, when it is quite able to forage for itself. 



The mating habits of birds are subject to great varia- 

 tion. In the more primitive species there is, as a rule, no 

 permanent union of the sexes, the males and females 

 separating after the breeding season is over. Many 

 birds are polygamous, such as our domestic fowl, a single 

 large, strong male going about with a flock of females, 

 and driving away all weaker rivals. In most of the song 

 birds, however, there is a more permanent union of the 

 sexes, in some cases lasting until the death of one of the 

 members of the pair. The males frequently take turns 

 with the females in sitting upon the eggs, an office which 

 the rooster among our domestic poultry would never 

 condescend to perform. The males of many song birds 

 also help in bringing food to the young, in cleaning the 

 nest, and in some cases in bringing food to the female 

 while she is incubating the eggs. 



Among the higher birds, nesting is usually preceded by 

 courtship, a ceremony which is dispensed with among 

 the cruder and less gallant males of the lower birds. 



It is very common for the males to be distinguished from 

 the females by more brilliant and beautiful plumage and 

 superior powers of song. Both of these characters are 

 brought into play by the males who attempt to display 



