184 



four little Yellow-throats scuttled away in four directions 

 through the weeds, leaving their clumsy foster-brother in 

 the nest. I caught just one of the little sprites but he 

 proved unmanageable so that I had to let him go and confine 

 my photographic attempts to the Cowbird. 



Fig. ]58. A male Yellow-throat feeding a young Cowbird 

 bigger than itself. 



He was perched on a branch in front of the camera and 

 I waited for developments. The two adult Yellow-throats 

 evidently talked the matter over and decided that she should 

 look after her four, sprightly offspring, while he would take 

 care of the larger, helpless member of the family. Sir 

 Yellow-throat coaxed and he coaxed and scolded and scold- 

 ed trying to make the young Cowbird leave the perch ; he 

 even tried to knock him oft" as he flew past, but the stolid 

 youngster would not budge. He just opened his mouth to 

 its fullest extent and begged loudly for something to eat; 

 he cared not nor thought of danger, — just of his appetite. 



