NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
young are hatched the mother protects them 
from the heat of noon by making her body 
a shelter over them. In about twelve days 
the pearly shells open, and birdlings like 
little hairless mice may be seen lying on the 
hard bed of varnished twigs. They are fed, 
I believe, by regurgitation, most frequently 
during early morning and late afternoon, the 
insects which constitute their food being 
caught on the wing and carried in the. throat 
pouch. I have not seen them feed their 
young while flying in mid-air, but some 
witnesses aver that this is true. 
So far as I have been able to judge, the 
young swifts develop slowly and do not 
leave the nest until three weeks old. I 
could never be quite sure that the young 
examined were the same individuals, not 
being able to climb to investigate and having 
to depend solely on the statements of others 
who brought them to me. They have 
tumbled down in all stages of growth, and 
funny enough they are with their long wings, 
tiny feet, and flat heads. 
194 
