44 SHARP EYES. 



place to the one behind him. Still, one bird evidently 

 outstripped his fellows, and in the race of life was two 

 or three days in advance of them. His voice was 

 loudest and his head oftenest at the window. But I 

 noticed that when he had kept the position too long, 

 the others evidently made it uncomfortable in his 

 rear, and, after " fidgeting " about a while, he would 

 be compelled to " back down." But retaliation was 

 then easy, and I fear his mates spent few easy mo- 

 ments at that lookout. They would close their eyes 

 and slide back into the cavity as if the world had sud- 

 denly lost all its charms for them. 



This bird was, of course, the first to leave the nest. 

 For two days before that event he kept his position 

 in the opening most of the time and sent forth his 

 strong voice incessantly. The old ones abstained 

 from feeding him almost entirely, no doubt to en- 

 courage his exit. As I stood looking at him one aft- 

 ternoon and noting his progress, he suddenly reached 

 a resolution, seconded, I have no doubt, from the 

 rear, and launched forth upon his untried wings. 

 They served him well and carried him about fifty 

 yards up-hill the first heat. The second day after, 

 the next in size and spirit left in the same manner ; 

 then another, till only one remained. The parent 

 birds ceased their visits to him, and for one day he 

 called and called till our ears were tired of the sound. 

 His was the faintest heart of all. Then he had none 

 to encourage him from behind. He left the nest and 

 slung to the outer bowl of the tree, and yelped and 



