A LITTLE NURSERY 59 
tion. I believe that both birds sit alternately. When 
the young hatch out they are of course ugly, large- 
mouthed creatures, innocent of a single feather. At 
first, they are very weak, and seem to have scarcely 
strength enough to raise their heads to receive the 
insects brought by their parents. 
Their growth is, however, exceedingly rapid. When 
three days old they are fully twice the size they were 
when first hatched. They keep their fond parents very 
busy seeking food for them. This consists entirely of 
minute insects. Many of these are picked off the trunks 
and branches of trees, some are taken off the ground, 
while others are caught on the wing. Elegance marks 
every movement of the fantail flycatcher. It runs 
swiftly among the branches, and every now and again 
makes a pretty bow and spreads its tail; then suddenly 
it will make a little sally in the air, and return, with 
easy sweep, to the place whence it started. In grace 
of movement a fantail flycatcher is nearly equal to a 
wagtail. 
While seeking for food the parents never go far from 
the nest. They keep a most jealous guard over this 
precious structure, and most necessary is it that they 
should do so, for crows are exceedingly fond of eating 
young birds, and are always on the look out for a nest; 
and when they discover it, woe betide the occupants! 
“Eha” thus describes this phase of the corvine charac- 
ter, and that which he says is but too true: “What 
I cannot forgive is the constant and ruthless massacre 
of innocents that goes on where crows are allowed 
to have their own way. They watch every little bird to 
