BIRD BABY-TALK. 21 



fill them. In the early morning he seemed to 

 have more leisure ; at that time, the happy young 

 couple stood one each side of the nest, and the 

 silent listener would hear the gentle murmurs of 

 what Victor Hugo calls "the airy dialogues of 

 the nest." Ah, that our dull ears could under- 

 stand ! * 



For some days the homestead was never left 

 alone, and the summer breezes 



" Softly rocked the babies three, 

 Nestled under the mother's wing," 



almost as closely as before they came out of the 

 egg. But much of the time she sat on the edge, 

 while her partner came and went, always linger- 

 ing a moment to look in. It was pretty to see 

 him making up his mind where to put the mor- 

 sel, so small that it did not show in the beak. 

 He turned his head one side and then the other, 

 considered, decided, and at last thrust it in the 

 selected mouth. 



The resting-time of the newly made matron 

 was short ; for when those youngsters were four 

 days old so fast do birdlings grow the labor 

 of both parents was required to keep them fed. 

 Every ten minutes of the day one of the pair 

 came to the nest : the father invariably alighted, 

 deliberated, fed, and then flew ; while the mother 

 administered her mouthful, and then either 

 slipped into the nest, covering her bantlings 



