338 



ANIMAL BIOLOGY 



are quite as willing to devour them as any other kind of 

 food. The young of most insects do not receive or need 

 any attention from their parents, although in some of the 



social Hymenoptera the young 

 are fed and tended with scrupu- 

 lous care. 



Among fishes the eggs, after 

 they are shed and fertilized; are 

 usually left to their fate; but 

 some forms such as the stickle- 

 back and the dog-fish Amia build 

 nests for the eggs which are 

 watched and defended, usually 

 by the male who protects them from enemies, but parental 

 solicitude lasts for only a short time. 



The amphibia and reptiles show little concern for their 

 offspring, but in the birds and mammals we find parental 

 care well developed especially in higher forms. The primi- 



PIG. 229. Dolomedes mir- 

 abilis carrying her cocoon. 

 (After Black wall.). 



FIG. 230. Nestling marsh hawks. (After Baker.) 



tive birds as a rule construct crude nests and the young 

 are hatched so that they are able to look out for them- 

 selves, either at once or at a very early period. Among 

 the higher song birds the nests are more carefully made. 



