98 



Wild Birds. 



Fig. go. Female Redwing Blackbird placing food in the throat of 

 a nestling. 



Fig. 91. The same bird watching the food in the throat. If not 

 immediately swallowed, the insect is withdrawn and passed 

 around until a bird with the proper reaction time is found. 



of the male will often assLst in di.s- 

 patching unruly insects and in seeing- 

 them safely down a responsive throat. 

 The persistence of the Redwing Star- 

 ling in this line of conduct is admir- 

 able. I have seen one of these birds 

 stand with drooping wings, erect 

 feathers, and mouth agape, in the 

 strong heat of a July day for hours 

 though not continuously, for she in- 

 variably left at the approach of her 

 mate for a few moments' respite, and 

 then usually returned with food. 



The Cedar-bird gapes persist- 

 ently when uncomfortably warm, 

 but only the crest feathers are ever 

 erected, and then not to the extent 

 usually shown in drawings of this 

 species. Both Robins and Catbirds 

 bristle up when their nests and well- 

 fledged young are assailed, but I have 

 never seen this habit in the brooding 

 bird, although their emotion is often 

 expressed by raising the feathers of 

 the crown. 



The duty of brooding rests 

 mainly with the female in our com- 

 mon land birds, but the male in some 

 species either regularly or intermit- 

 tently takes his turn at the nest. 



Passerine birds feed their }'oung 

 at brief intervals from earl)? morning 

 until nightfall, but apparently sel- 

 dom if ever after dark. The Night 

 Hawk, as has been seen, broods by 

 day, and feeds its young at dusk, or 

 just after dark, and probabh' again 

 at dawn. Both sexes usuall\- share 

 in bringing food to the nest, but 

 this rule is by no means unix'ersal. 



The young require animal food 

 during the early days of life, and 

 in the interior of the country this 

 consists mainly of insects in the 

 larval or mature stages, spiders,. 



