WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



blackbirds, as the case may be, go straight 

 into the heart of the thickest bushes and feed 

 the waiting babies. For a day or two this 

 continues, the hard -worked parents carrying 

 worms to the youngsters lurking under the 

 shrubs and in dark corners, hiding from the 

 dangers which they are not yet strong enough 

 to fly away from. Great are the losses in 

 thrush and blackbird families at this time. It 

 is just the moment when all the countryside 

 is a nursery ; hawks have their eyesses to feed, 

 owls their owlets, foxes their cubs, stoats and 

 weasels their young ones, and aU are glad to 

 carry off young birds to their families. 

 Danger is on aU sides, and the weakly nestling 

 which, tumbling out of the nest, hesitates 

 in the open is sure to disappear, or the too 

 bold one, which ventures on a flight before 

 it is really strong and swift upon the wing, 

 will likewise vanish. Danger is on all sides, 

 and out of the two broods that the old birds 

 will probably bring up in the course of the 

 season, they will be lucky if more than two 

 survive until the following spring to nest and 

 in their turn rear young ones. But with four 

 or five youngsters to feed, the old birds have 

 no time to worrj'^ if the count should be one 

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