1^6 IN BIRD LAND. 



tiptoe, craning up their necks, wabbling from side 

 to side, opening their mouths to the widest extent 

 of their "gapes," Icnocking heads and beaks to- 

 gether, and chirping at the top of their voices, — I 

 confess it makes a picture more grotesque than 

 attractive. By and by, as the pin-feathers begin to 

 grow, the infant brood seem to feel an itching sen- 

 sation, which causes them to pick the various parts 

 of their bodies to remove the scaly substance that 

 gathers on the skin and at the bases of the sprout- 

 ing feathers. But how awkwardly they go about 

 this exercise ! Their heads seem to be too heavy 

 for their long, slender necks, and go waggling and 

 rolling from side to side, often missing the mark 

 aimed at. However, the muscles of the nurslings 

 are developing all the while. Soon they lift them- 

 selves to their full height, stretch themselves, jerk 

 their tails higher than their heads in a most amusing 

 way (you smile, but they don't), and then squat 

 down upon the floor of the nest again. A day or so 

 later the most advanced youngster feels the flying 

 impulse stirring in his veins, and so, after stretching 

 himself as previously described, he extends his wings 

 to their utmost reach, and flaps them in a joyous 

 way over his cuddling companions, sometimes rap- 

 ping them smartly on the head. Soon there comes 

 a day when he hops to the edge of the nest, looks 

 out upon the wide, beckoning world like a young 

 satrap, and flaps his wings with a semi-conscious 

 feeling of strength. Ere long, encouraged by his 

 parents, he spreads his wings, and takes a header 



