THE ROBIN 97 



water in a pan upon a post where the birds can get 

 it. Why not put the water on the ground? (Cats 

 might get the birds.) 



After the robin has been sitting about twelve 

 days, what happens ? How do the young robins 

 look ? (They are naked and blind, and seem to be 

 nearly all mouth. When a little over a week old, 

 for the first time they see their parents and brothers 

 and sisters. They never know quite how ugly they 

 look at first, for when they open their eyes their 

 feathers have begun to grow.) What becomes of 

 the eggshells after the birds are out? (The papa 

 robin pushes them out of the nest with his bill, and 

 he now cleans out the nest whenever it needs it.) 



How do the baby robins spend their time ? (Eat- 

 ing and sleeping.) What do they eat? How get 

 their food? (The papa and mamma feed them.) 

 Do they eat much ? (They keep their parents hunt- 

 ing food nearly all the time.) How do the parents 

 give the food to their children? 



Since these birds eat so much, they must grow 

 very fast. Does their home grow, too ? (No ; so 

 the house is soon too small for so many big birds.) 

 What will be done about it ? (The birdies will have 

 to leave. When about three weeks old they bid 



