The Cedar Waxwing 187 



ten minutes the birds quieted down, but kept their mouths 

 wide open. At 10 :28 the parent returned with white berries 

 and first tried to give an unbroken one to a nestling. But 

 when it failed to swallow the berry the parent broke it up and 

 gave it in pieces. Probably three berries were fed in two 

 minutes. Thirteen minutes later a parent bird with a blue 

 berry showing in its bill flew to a nearby tree, where it stayed 

 a minute, the nestlings chirping vigorously all the time. At 

 10 :45 they preened their feathers and moved their wings, 

 while one appeared about to leave the nest. After eight min- 

 utes they settled down in quiet, but kept their mouths open. 

 In the afternoon I found them apparently very warm and 

 very restless. They did not seem afraid of me, but at 4:12 

 some noise frightened them and they were very still. At 

 4:20 the largest bird stood on the edge of the nest as if 

 ready to fly, but five minutes later dropped back into the nest. 

 The parents did not return to the nest during the rest of my 

 stay. 



July 31, 8:15-10:20 A. M., 1:20-2:25 P. M. 



On July 31 it was much cooler. The maximum was only 

 79 degrees and there was a heavy wind. I think that the wind 

 may have prevented the birds from leaving on this day. Their 

 mouths were closed and they appeared more quiet and com- 

 fortable than on the day before. 



At 8 :20, when I pointed my pen toward them, they opened 

 their mouths. Ten minutes later one little bird stretched its 

 wings. At 8 :45 a parent brought blue berries. The nestlings 

 chirped when it approached, but were less excited than on the 

 day before. The parent regurgitated several berries and fed 

 them slowly, remaining on the nest till 8 :51. Then the wind 

 seemed to frighten the young, who settled down, on the nest. 

 Fifteen minutes later the nestlings chirped and one stood on 

 the edge of the nest preening its feathers and stretching its 

 wings. They chirped loudly as a parent approached with 

 some insect or worm. At 9:16 the parent left and the little 

 birds were quiet. Two minutes later they flapped their wings 

 and two of them stood on the edge of the nest. At 9 :30 the 



