that these birds are always watched with interest, from their advent until their departure. 

 One morning the unusual actions of the female led to the discovery that one of the young, 

 half-fledged nestlings had fallen to the ground, where it was struggling helplessly. It was 

 carefully taken up and a straw was observed protruding from its mouth. The straw had 

 been mostly swallowed, and resisted the gentle force that was used for its extraction. 

 Rather hard pulls were then given, which must have been distressing to that part of the 

 bird's anatomy to which the swallowed end was anchored. At last the straw broke, 

 leaving an end visible, but beyond reach far down the throat, so that nothing more could 

 be done to take it away. A box lined with cotton was then provided, the young bird 

 placed in it, and hauled up close to the nest by means of a string. After this the parent 

 birds were seen feeding, or trying to feed, the sufferer ; but all was in vain. The little 

 one died. 



105 



