4 



American Birds 



bantlings, I had to roll over in laughter at their actions. 

 Each youngster was afraid his brother would get the next 

 morsel, and his fears were quite often realized. Two or 

 three times they became so excited that they went at each 

 other as if it were going to be a case of " may the best 

 man win." I don't believe in brothers quarrelling, but 

 once or twice, while I was watching, I saw just cause for 

 disagreement. Both mother and father were putting their 

 whole energy to satisfying the two little stomachs that 

 seemed to go empty as fast as they were filled. The two 

 bairns were sitting side by side, when the mother dropped 

 to the perch, and gave the nearer one a big caterpillar. 

 The father came two minutes later. If he tried to tell 

 who had the last bite by looking at those wide-stretched 

 mouths, he was fooled. In a twinkling the chick had 

 taken the morsel he brought. " That belongs to me," 

 yelled the brother in righteous indignation, but it was too 

 late, papa was gone; so he squatted down beside his 

 squirming brother with a stoical expression that showed 

 it was better to be a little too empty than a bit too full. 



Both parents seemed nervous when their children were 

 out in the unprotected open. They always tried to coax 

 the little ones down into the bushes before giving them 

 food. I happened to discover a very urgent reason just 

 why these yellow-throats had to keep under cover. My 

 camera was well concealed and aimed at a branch where 

 the two bantlings were perched, while I was hidden a few 

 feet away, waiting to click the shutter on one of the 

 parents when they came to feed. By the merest chance I 

 happened to look around, and saw a black object whizzing 

 earthward like a falling star. Instinctively I jumped up. 



