AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



into newly built houses, and when one gets dirty, 

 instead of cleaning it they move to a new one. 



The robin is an enormous feeder, and, it is 

 said, will devour half again as much as his weight 

 in twenty-four hours. What a task the mother 

 has, not only to satisfy her own appetite, but also 

 to fill those hungry little stomachs in the nest! 

 I am glad to say, however, that the father helps 

 in this work, and in wet weather one will cover 

 the little ones, while the other forages for food, 

 and then they will change places. After the 

 young have left the nest, they must still be fed 

 for a time ; but I have never seen the male help 

 in this task. The young birds follow the mother 

 about, and are eternally crying for more, more, 

 more. She feeds them generously for a day or 

 two, and then cuts down their rations, trying all the 

 while to teach them to help themselves. She will 

 point out a worm to one, apparently urging him to 

 pick it up, and if he fails to do so in a brief time, 

 the mother pulls it out and eats it herself. The 

 youngster scolds and cries the more, and then 

 sometimes the mother will turn and present to 

 him a bit of stick or straw, which he seizes 

 eagerly, and drops promptly, as the mother flies 

 iaway, evidently laughing. 



92 



