62 



Wild Birds. 



come out, on the right side in front of the wing. This shows plainly in many of the 

 photographs. 



As I have said in another place, the female 

 would often fly direct to the tent and alight on 

 the end of the ridge-pole just above the nest. 

 Here she would pause a moment, then go to her 

 young. Should they fail to respond promptly, 

 she gives a peculiar clucking sound, a habit com- 

 mon to many species, which is the stimulus ap- 

 plied as a last resort. At this signal every mouth 

 is opened wide, even if the gullet is already full. 

 Indigestible substances pass through the alimen- 

 tary canal, and are never regurgitated in either 

 young or adults. 



Cedar Waxwings have been seen in the act 

 of sipping maple sap in March, either standing 

 near a broken twig and reaching round to pick 

 off the drops from the underside or hovering 

 over the spot and taking sips while on the 

 wing. 1 



Towards the last of August, small flocks 

 of Cedar-birds are 

 moving about in 

 search of food, 

 the low murmur of 

 their call-notes be- 

 ing audible for a 

 moment only as 

 they pass over- 

 head. They know 

 when the wild cher- 

 ries are ripe, and 

 never fail to visit 



the trees skirting the fields. The black cherry tree is a pleas- 

 ant sight, when laden with the pendant racemes of black cher- 



Fig. 47. Young Cedar-bird from nest shown in 

 Figs. 39-46 : photographed on the morning of flight, 

 July 19, igoo. The bird was not touched, but occu- 

 pies a natural perch, chosen by himself. 



ries, its tremulous foliage shining in the sun, with Robins and 

 Cedar-birds fluttering about it. Every good tree is an aviary 

 when its fruit is ripe in late summer and early autumn. Both 

 old and young are on hand. Then you may see one sidle along 

 a bough, stretch its neck, wag its tail, and fondle another 



Fig. 48. Cedar-bird about thirty-six 

 hours old, blind, naked, and helpless : 

 characteristic instinctive response to 

 any sound or vibration, as when the 

 parent brings food, or the nest or 

 branch is tapped. Notice that the 

 bird rests on its pot-belly, and uses 

 both wings and legs for support. En- 



with its bill. Their fine breezy call-notes suggest the larged to life, 

 bleating of the insects in the grass below. Tent caterpil- 

 lars spin large nests in these trees, but the birds prefer the acid-bitter fruit to the 

 insects. Occasionally a bird will leave its perch, and dive for an insect in the air with the 

 1 For this note I am indebted to Mr. Robert J. Sim, of Jefferson, Ohio. 



