46 



Wild Birds. 



Robin began to brood at twelve o'clock and for the space of three hours was on and off 

 the nest constantly, rarely remaining longer than ten minutes at a time either at her 

 post or away from it. On the fourth day, July 28th, which was destined to be hotter 

 still, brooding began at e.xactly eighteen minutes before ten o'clock and the mother 

 was quietly sitting over the little ones when the tent was struck long past noon. 



Fig. 32. Cock Robin standing at inspection, after having fed his young. 



Many charming scenes were enacted at this nest during the day, but colored phrases 

 or colorless pictures do them scant justice. You must fill in the backgrounds of soft 

 blues and greens, and add the touch of life and color to the actors on the stage. 



The following extracts from my notes of this day may give some idea of the panoramic 



character of the scenes, in which the element of repetition is not wanting. 



July 28, 4th day in tent. 10 A.M. The female comes to the back of. the nest, delivers 



food and goes the rounds of inspection and cleaning, devouring the excreta on the 



spot, then settles down on the margin of the nest, steps in and gradually tucks the 



young under her breast and wings. 



10.12. A whirring sound announces the coming of the m.de. He approaches always 011 



the observer's right, and deliberately hops down to the nest. He is bringing a big 



cluster of earthworms. The young get the message the moment the branch is 



touched, and poke their heads out from under their mother's tail, wings, and head, 



sometimes raising her bodily, and almost tipping her over. However, she holds 



