﻿120 Bird -Lore 



morsel, and so it was very abruptly snatched away and given to the other. 

 Of course the weaker one was unable to do what the older and stronger had 

 failed in, and in turn he lost it to the first. This had been repeated at least 

 three times, when she seized it firmly and, with a motion like that of a Blue 



GIVING YOUNG (AGED THIRTEEN DAYSJ A BUTTERFLY 



Jay when cracking acorns, thrust it head foremost down the gaping throat 

 of her first choice. This performance was witnessed a number of times 

 subsequently, and it often occurred when there could be no doubt that the 

 morsel was small enough to be swallowed by either of the young birds. 



While feeding the young is the heaviest work that falls upon the parent, 

 the care of the nest claims the first attention. The mother never left after 

 feeding without giving the nest a careful scrutiny, and even when too much 

 alarmed by my presence to bring food, she would dart down to remove the 

 refuse that her ever-observant eye had detected- from a distance. The 

 excreta were sometimes taken as they left the body of the young- The 

 membranous sac which covers such matter not only aids in its removal but 

 prevents soiling the nest. 



Sleep came to the young very readily. If they were not more than 

 usually hungry they would nestle down immediately on being fed, close their 

 eyes and, as far as I could tell, fall fast asleep. But the rustling of the 

 mother's feathers or that of a dry leaf in the wind would cause the two long 

 necks to be stretched and the yellow-lined mouths to open widely with 



