CHAPTER VI. 



FEEDING AND CARE OF THE YOUNG. 



During the first week after the hatching of the eggs the old birds continue 

 their alternation of nest duty. At the end of this time the young can be left 

 uncovered for some time without harm, and the period of "close sitting" character- 

 istic of the incubation period ceases. At the end of the second week the young begin 

 to venture from the nest and become more and more independent of parental 

 care. The young are fed by regurgitation. The food at first consists of "pigeon's 

 milk," a secretion whose appearance is well timed with the end of the incubation 

 period. Later the young are given the partially digested food of the parents. 

 While in the nest (2 weeks) the young rely entirely upon this food. After leaving 

 the nest they begin to pick up food of their own accord, and they can be "weaned" 

 at the end of 4 to 5 weeks. Both parents participate in this feeding for the first 

 two weeks, and in case they do not begin a new cycle, both may continue the feeding 

 for some time later. 



With a renewal of the reproductive cycle, the order of events is changed. The 

 cycle may be started at the end of the first week, when close sitting ceases. The 

 female is then ready to lay at the end of the second week, just as the young are 

 venturing from the nest. The female then stops feeding and devotes her entire 

 energy to the task of incubation. The male continues the feeding and also par- 

 ticipates in the incubation of the second set of eggs. When the eggs are hatched, 

 the male devotes his attention to the new set of young, and the first set are forced 

 to rely upon themselves for their sustenance. "Driving" is sometimes necessary 

 to accomplish this weaning of the first young. If a series of cycles follow each 

 other in immediate succession, the male bird will thus be continuously engaged 

 in the task of feeding his various broods of offspring. 



GENERAL NATURE OF THE ACTIVITIES. 



At the end of the period of incubation (2 weeks) and a further week or more in care 

 of the young, the pair renew the cycle of events. The young are fed by both parents 

 until the female is about ready to lay again, then the male continues the work alone and 

 the young begin to help themselves. As soon as the time of hatching arrives, the previous 

 young begin to learn that they are no longer wanted and, if they do not leave, the male 

 takes them in hand and drives them without mercy. All this is to the end that the new- 

 comers may be safe in their nest from attacks by their elder brother and sister when the 

 parents are away. The bird has no idea of what its actions mean, for its actions are accord- 

 ing to "feelings" which follow each other in regular serial order, making the same round 

 each time. The close sitting normally lasts for about 21 days two weeks to hatch and 

 one week on the young. 



A pair of bronze-wings were brought into my library, about the middle of November, 

 in order to save the young, then about 4 weeks old. The young and old had done well, 

 although the young have not developed flying power as they would if they had lived 



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