386 LAND BIRDS 



" talk " in low, gurgling tones as they fed and cared for 

 tlie little ones. It was wonderful how those harsh 

 voices became modulated for baby ears. Any approach 

 to the nest on my part was received with a chorus of 

 shrieks from both parents, defiant threats directed toward 

 my eyes, and other unpleasantness ; but, fortunately, it 

 being only eleven feet from the ground no great climb- 

 ing was necessary. Surely such homely babies needed 

 no violent defence from kidnapping ! They were naked, 

 dark greenish purple, with sightless knobs for eyes and 

 long necks on which the dark skin hung in loose wrinkles. 

 But to the doting parents none were ever more beauti- 

 ful and none were more closely guarded. Crickets, other 

 insects, and larvae were crammed down their throats at 

 the rate of forty-three in thirty minutes, — not much for 

 them, but a goodly amount for the hard-working pro- 

 viders to catch and bring. Each one was carefully 

 crushed, the crickets being deprived of their wings and 

 legs before being given to the nestling. To watch these 

 industrious hunters pursue their game in the wet grass 

 near the lake or the dryer wood lots where near the 

 rotting logs they found the huge black crickets, was 

 fully as interesting as to see them feed the young. 

 Though so dignified and stately when walking leisurely 

 on the ground, they became ludicrously excited when in 

 a hurry, and with long tail elevated swooped down 

 upon the unfortunate insect with the air of one doing 

 great deeds. 



At the end of two weeks the nestlings were covered 

 with the iridescent sheen of the adults, but their tails 



