1-tO 



usually giveu when she was twenty or thirtv feet away 

 from the nest. They would prick up their ears and with 

 wide-open e^ves and mouths opened wider still, each strive 

 to be the nearest to her as she hopped to the back edge of 

 the nest. 



Mother Thrasher showed no intentional partiality but 

 fed her three children in turn. Occasionally she made a 



Fig. 121. Sometimes Thrashers nest on the ground but more 

 often in bushes. 



mistake and fed the same one twice in succession. As the 

 little fellows grew older they resented such slights. The 

 one whose turn it was to be fed would raise his voice in 

 noisy protest if a nice, appetizing spider was, by mistake, 

 thrust down his brother's throat. As the morsel was imme- 



