66 



Wild Birds. 



Fig . 50. Female Red-eyed Vireo ready to deliver a large insect. 



Placing it well down in a hungry throat. 



ig. 52. Standing in characteristic prone attitude of inspection. 



lucky bird. However, it stuck 

 at the gullet, and the little one 

 gulped hard before its protrud- 

 ing wings had disappeared. 



As is well known the young 

 bird has wonderful powers of 

 digestion and assimilation, and 

 after the first week the rapidity 

 of its development becomes 

 even more striking. A lapse of 

 twenty-four hours now means a 

 great stride in growth. It takes 



o 



food almost constantly through- 

 out the day, and digests it quick- 

 ly, though imperfectly. The 

 adult Vireo like the Flycatcher 

 is said to regurgitate the indi- 

 gestible parts of its food in 

 pellets. 



The male Vireo seldom 

 came with food, and then al- 

 ways with an extra degree of cau- 

 tion. Twice he followed swiftly 

 after his mate, acting as herguar- 

 dian while she quickly went the 

 rounds. The role of the old 

 birds in feeding was almost in- 

 variably the same, as I have in 

 part described. They trace a 

 zigzag line to the nest, a straight 

 one from it. You hear first 

 their responsive call-notes. The 

 mother bird with insect ready 

 is in a bush a rod away ; then 

 she comes a step nearer, and pau- 

 ses ; her piort ! is now more dis- 

 tinct. She slowly advances, until 

 the twig which holds the nest 

 is touched. Up go the heads 

 of the young; they call aloud, 

 stretch their necks to every 

 side, gaze up to the clouds and 

 around upon the leaves. Then 

 as the mother hops nimbly 

 along the twig, and stands over 



