850 



THE NATURE BOOK 



is well to lea^•e them alone, as they are 

 very apt to forsake the nest when re- 

 moved. The restless spirit of the world 

 seizes them, and in seeking pastures 

 new they might possibly die of star- 

 vation or fall a victim to other enemies. 

 There are exceptions to this rule, how- 

 ever. I know that fledgeUngs that are 

 ready to run on issuing from the egg will 

 gather and regather to the nest on the 

 call that must be obeyed — the parental 

 caU. 



Nature guards the young ground birds, 

 as for example the Lark and Duck and 

 Game birds, by gi\ang them coloration 

 in mimicry of their surroundings. It 

 would be quite a simple thing to trample 

 on a Lark's nest full of young, or a young 

 and crouching Pluver, without noticing 

 them. In the town we have posts 

 warning us to keep to the right, and in 

 the country we xWll walk in the right if 

 we watch every step we take. There is 

 a marvellous world at our feet in the 

 country places if we only look hard 

 enough. The countryside has no more 

 charming picture than that which may 



often be seen of a row of young Long- 

 tailed Tits being fed by their parents. 

 Once in the vicinity of Loch Lomond 

 I observed the young being fed. As 

 a rule, only one at a time ahghted 

 to feed the youngsters. One httle chap 

 was inchned to be sleepy, but I noticed 

 the parent bird would not allow him to 

 miss his meal, even when clamouring 

 brothers and sisters v.dth argument of 

 wide open mouth more insistently 

 appealed. 



As a rule, nestlings are fed according 

 to their importunity. If they don't 

 open their mouths they get nothing. 

 Thus the survival of the strongest pre- 

 vails. There are no hospitals or cripple 

 homes for infirm nestlings in birdland. 



The nest of the Long-tailed Tit is a very 

 handsome structure. Lovers of birds, 

 and happily their name is legion, give 

 this nest pride of place as the most perfect 

 specimen of bird architecture in this 

 country. Elongated in shape, composed 

 of moss and hchen, and wonderfully felted 

 together with spider webs and hned 

 with feathers, it is indeed a fairy home. 



SOLAN GKKSE. 



