THE REDSTAUT. 205 



the young birds were to emerge from this dark 

 dwelliiig-ph\cc. But they were, as the naiTator 

 remarks, '' eventually indebted to female curiosity 

 for their emancipation. A lady lifted up the pot 

 to see whether the birds were there ; when the 

 whole brood, taking advantage of so favourable 

 an opportunity, made their escape, darting forth 

 in all directions, like rays from a centre." A 

 redstart has been known to return regularly, for 

 sixteen summers, to the garden where it first 

 built. 



The redstart is most attached to its young. If 

 any harm seems likely to befal them, both the 

 parent birds evince the greatest distress, and 

 perching on some near spot keep up an unceasing 

 clamour till the danger is over. While the hen 

 bird is hatching, her companion watches over her 

 most carefully, and at the slightest alarm keeps 

 up a repetition of some low, plaintive, garrulous 

 notes of warning. The helplessness of the young 

 birds seems an object of constant solicitude, nor 

 is it alone the wants of their own young which 

 can thus call forth their love and care. An 

 instance is recorded in which a similar feeling was 

 evinced for the young brood of other birds. A 



