The Cedar Bird. 



57 



After a short interval, during whicii 

 I went to get a notebook and pencil, 

 this bird was back again, and once 

 more her jet-black eye and clean-cut 

 profile appeared above the nest. I 

 had sat down but a moinent when 

 the male flew past, and gave an alarm 

 which brought off his mate in a flash. 

 Both then alighted in the tops of 

 neighboring trees, and standing erect, 

 uttered their low responsive call- 

 notes. 



Six daj's later — August 2 1st — 

 the bush was removed a rod away 

 and the tent placed beside it at nine 

 o'clock. The familiar calls of both 

 birds were now heard and in just 

 thirt37-five minutes from the time of 

 closing the tent a soft whirring of 

 wings announced the mother bird, 

 who alighted near the nest. She 



FiCT. 40. After feeding the young — the gullet empty. Notice 

 the '* sitting " posture, and compare curves ofthroat in Fig. 3 ,. 



Fig 39 Female Cedar-bird ready to feed young 

 by regurgitation — gullet stuffed with cherries. 



approached cautiously, as an intelligent 

 bird should do, sur\-eying the situation 

 at every step, and finally landed on the 

 nest. After a momentary pause she be- 

 gan tossing up her head and producing 

 black cherries which were judiciously 

 placed, one at a time, in the throats of 

 her nestlings. Then a thorough inspec- 

 tion followed, and the sanitar\^ condition 

 of the establishment was insured b}- the 

 method already described, after which 

 the mother remained a full minute ; then 

 with a low whistle she sped away. At 

 her next visit she began to shield her 

 young from the growing heat. With 

 half-spread wings and with back to the 

 sun the mother protected her little ones 

 for a full hour from the broiling sun, 

 while her mate came repeatetUy and 

 handed out the cherries. 



The Cedar-bird will pant with 



