HOW TO OBSERVE THEM 179 



succeeding the snow. It was some time before he 

 could summon up courage to reach his mate in 

 the presence of a third party, but at last he did so. 

 All this time the fat grub was hanging catkin-like 

 from the bird's beak, and I noticed with interest 

 that this did not debar him from uttering a few 

 notes to his partner upon the nest, to let her 

 know that he was near at hand. He advanced 

 cautiously, first hopping upon a pail, then a little 

 higher on to a box, then up on to a hoe hanging in 

 the summer house, and finally reaching the shelf 

 and delivering up the tasty morsel to his trustful 

 little mate sitting complacently upon the nest. 

 She — brave little bird — became most docile and 

 tame, refusing to move off the nest even when I 

 was only a few inches away from her. Her 

 lustrous eyes and cherry-red throat could just be 

 discerned in the deep nest. 



The young Robins hatched out on April 9, thus 

 showing that the eggs took fifteen days to incubate. 



This incident clearly shows what may be accom- 

 plished by encouraging birds and affording them 

 protection, and only those who have experienced 

 the intense pleasure it affords to watch the habits 

 of even common birds close at home can realise 

 what an entertaining field of study is open to them 

 if they have eyes to see and ears to hear. 



A very enjoyable time may be spent by the 

 young observer of birds if he goes to work quietly, 



