78 



Wild Birds. 



bc-be of the Goldfinches could be heard as these birds passed leisurely overhead. The 

 conditions were all reassuring, and presently the Catbirds became silent, and went off for 

 food. In a few moments a rustling of leaves was heard close to the tent and the male 

 could be seen coming boldh' in its direction. 



Up to this time the young lay quietly in the nest, but were alert to every sound, 

 wliether from the wind or any passing bird. Their wing-quills had become exposed in 

 the course of two days to a length of three quarters of an inch. 



Suddenly a jubilant song burst forth from the throat of the male, and his mate thus 

 encouraged approached the nest with insect in bill, but her fears were not allayed, for 

 after beating about she swallowed the insect herself and went in search of another. 



The young now began to yip in earnest and to stretch their scantily feathered trans- 

 parent necks. One of the lustiest of the four even climbed to the edge and sat in the 

 shade. They would erect their scanty crest-feathers and pant in the sun, which though 

 not excessively hot, was with the added feeling of hunger, beginning to make them 

 restless. 



The sense of fear was at last overcome in the mother, who came, fed and cleaned the 

 young, and flew off again. After another pause a huge dragon-fly was brought to the 

 nest. The observer had to wait long at the beginning, but his reward was now quick in 

 coming. The young were then fed every five or six minutes, but the male only rarely 

 went to the nest himself. Still cautious to a degree, he would follow after the female, 

 but stop a few feet short of the nest. Then after delivering her insect she would go at 

 once to her mate, take the food from his bill, and bear it to the young. 



The following table gives the number of visits at which food was brought during 

 eight consecutive hours from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M., and illustrates how the parental instincts, 

 aided by habit, gradually overcome the feeling of fear in a very shy and suspicious animal. 



Five times in rapid succession the mother brought in dragon-flies of extraordinary 

 size (the large jEsclina hcros), of a light greenish yellow color, and limp as wet paper, 

 having just issued from their pupa cases. This bird presented an interesting sight as 

 she approached with one of these long insects hanging from her bill, for she always 

 held them by the head. The dragon-fly was as long as the young bird, but it was 

 invariably swallowed wings and all, though only after a hard struggle. 



The young, always on the alert huddle to this and that side of the nest, and stretch- 



