135 



OBSERVATIONS. 



In observing nature you are likely to see some very 

 curious maneuvers, illustrating both instinct and v^it, 

 A few of these, made by myself would perhaps prove 

 interesting to the readers of this work. Once while 

 rambling through the woods, I came across a cat-bird's 

 nest containing four young ones. Drawing near I 

 watched them. Presently the ryother-bird came with 

 a mouthful of food, seing me startled her at first but 

 she soon became reconciled, and gave the morsel to one 

 of the birds, next time a cherry was brought and put 

 into the mouth of another, but the little thing could 

 not swallow it. The mother seemed at once to under- 

 stand what was wrong, and proceeded to remove the ^ 

 seed. The operation was again tried with better suc- 

 cess. I remained for some time watching them, and 

 was quite amused on seeing the above circumstance. 



Another occasion my attention was attracted by a 

 pair of house chippies or hair birds which were engag- 

 ed in eating two crumbs of bread, one crumb was con- 

 siderably larger than the other. The bird that had the 

 smaller crumb of coarse finished first, when to my sur- 

 prise the one having the larger piece broke it in half 

 and proceeded to carry a piece to the other bird, thus 

 sharing them equally. This was indeed amusing and 

 illustrated sympathy and wit. We might well learn a 

 lesson from these two chippies who divided their 

 crumbs. Little idea can be obtained by writing of 

 what is to be seen among the surrounding creatures. 

 Most birds and animals exert great care for the protec- 

 tion and welfare of their young. 



