91 
soon as they are capable of taking care of 
themselves; for although they stay here 
till they are equal in size, and in growth 
of plumage, to the parent, yet even in this 
state the care of the foster parent is not 
entirely withdrawn from them, for Mon- 
tagu asserts, "that in order to receive its 
nourishment, it usually lays down on one 
side, in order that the small bird may 
reach its mouth, and frequently extends 
one wing for the bird to pitch on to per- 
form that office." But at this advanced 
age they, in all probability, like the 
young rook, &c. procure part of their 
own subsistence. 
The young birds though helpless and 
foolish for a great length of time, may be, 
and often are, brought up tame, so as to 
become familiar; but very few instances 
are to be found of their surviving through 
the winter. In captivity they are usually 
fed with small pieces of raw meat, but in 
a state of nature they generally make their 
repast upon caterpillars; not only the 
smooth sort, as has been imagined, but 
also with those of the hairy species. These 
