118 
NESTS AND EGGS OF 
her side, and resigns to him the laborious task for a season. While one 
is on the nest, the other, when not in quest of food, is on a tree in the 
immediate neighborhood, quietly on the alert. If danger is imminent, the 
sitting-bird is apprised of the fact in time to make its escape. This done, 
the two endeavor to jirotect their home from pillage. As long as there is 
some prospect of frightening away the depredators, they keep up the warfare 
with a good show of courage. But when constrained to desist from the 
attack by the too near approach of enemies, they do not forsake their 
home entirely, but cbodse a i^oint out of reach of harm, where they station 
themselves, and behold with profound distress its demolition. In these 
attacks the female is the superior of her masculine companion, and exhibits 
the most reckless bravery. The latter is, however, more circumspect and 
cautious. But should the enemy be a feathered species, and of superior 
physique, the unequal warfare is waged with terrible fury, and often 
results in favor of the defendants. Where not interfered with by man, 
these birds have been known to visit the same locality year after year ; 
but when meddled with, they abandon the site for another of greater 
security. The period of incubation ranges from fifteen to sixteen days. 
The young are very helpless creatures when first hatched, and often 
tax the patience and vigilance of the parents to the utmost in their efforts 
to obtain for them a quantum mjficit of nourishing food. Both birds 
are seldom absent together on this important mission. While one is 
abroad, the other remains at home, and exercises the strictest surveillance. 
The food of the young at first consists of grasshopj)ers, crickets, and cater- 
pillars of the family of measuring-worms. Being rapid growers, they are 
soon able to digest bits of small rodents and birds, which the parents tear 
from the wai-m flesh of the quivering victims which they hold in their 
talons. When four weeks old, parental assistance is in a measure with- 
drawn, and they are forced to feed themselves. A fortnight longer, they 
quit the nest, and receive their meals while perched on the tree-branches. 
But it is not until they attain an age of two months that they are entirely 
thrown upon their own resources. They, however, continue to reside with 
