190 
OUT WEST 
true philosopher he does 
not try to shirk his part 
in the world, but early 
takes to the ground, 
where he runs, and 
dodges, and hops and 
skips, and grows alert 
of eye and ear, always 
near brush or other cover. 
Dr. Watts was more of 
a moralist than an orni¬ 
thologist. What mother 
has not taught her child¬ 
ren the illustrious lines— 
' Birds in iheir little nests agree — 
And ’tis a shameful sight 
When children in one family 
Fall out and chide and fight.” 
His intention was good, 
but his observation poor. 
Birds in their little nests are extremely selfish. Their table 
manners are bad. They do often “fall out” on this account. 
They would fight as well, I am convinced, were it not for the fact 
that they are obliged to hold on with their claws as soon as the} 7 
are old enough to reach the brim of the nest when dinner is 
coming. As it is, if a young mocker or towhee can manage by 
hook or crook to plant one foot on the neck of a little comrade 
in hunger, it holds it fast until the repast is served. They will 
stand upon each other’s backs in spite of protest, sometimes losing 
the meal in a mutual struggle for supremacy. And in the mat¬ 
ter of cuddling into the bottom of the warm nest, each seeks to 
burrow under its fellow until at last several “ fall out ” together 
and “ agree ” to remain on or near the ground the rest of their 
lives. As to length of life, or as to whether a baby towhee shall 
live long enough to become a juvenile, remains for the cats to 
determine—that is, if cats are permitted to lurk in the garden 
shrubbery. For our part we see to it that the} 7 do not lurk for 
any length of time. 
Young mockers are as liable to fall out as towhees, and for 
the same reasons. I believe mocking-bird parents do replace 
their young. Repeated observations and much hearsay evidence 
convince me. One helpless infant fell out and lay in the grass, 
on its back. I put down my hand to pick it up, when it caught 
my fingers with its toes before I could grasp the bird. In this 
way, topsy turvy, and clinging of itself, it was carried around 
Young Towhkk. 
