n8 BIRD LIFE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 



distracted between the claims of a first family and 

 their preparations for quickly following it with a 

 second. At no time of year do birds work harder. 

 Watch the Wren popping into its nest every three or 

 four minutes all through the long day, with a beakful 

 of caterpillars to feed its nearly fledged young, and 

 think of the labour which goes to the gathering of such 

 small and nimble provender. Or note the assiduous 

 and unwearied foraging of parental Tits, just before 

 the emergence of their young from all sorts of unsus- 

 pected holes and crevices at the beginning of the month. 

 About the same date, an unusual commotion tells 

 that the young Starlings have left the nest. Crowds 

 of them come trooping over the meadows, now glowing 

 with buttercups or reddening with sorrel. For the 

 time being, their noisy squalling drowns all quieter 

 bird notes. 



Meanwhile, the Hedge Sparrows have their hands 

 full in catering for a young cuckoo, which already 

 fills the nest and by further growth, will expand it 

 quite out of shape. One may still find a Robins' 

 nest with eggs, surely an attempt at a third brood. 

 Very late nests of the Blackbird and Thrush can, no 

 doubt, be similarly explained. It is doubtful if the 

 House Sparrow always draws the line even at three 

 families, but here — sole opportunity — we may say 

 a word in its favour, for it feeds its young with insect 

 food and largely with small green caterpillars. The 



