The Animals' Friend Supplement. 53 
HOW BIRDS LEARN THEIR LESSONS. 
Pretty sights are to be seen this month, when many young 
birds are taking their first lessons in flying. It is a most impor¬ 
tant moment for the little dick when first he trusts himself to his 
wings. The youngsters who are born on or close to the ground 
have the easiest time, but for baby sea-birds, born on ledges of 
rock above the sea, things are harder. The great naturalist, 
Bvehm, saw two sea-birds carefully take their young to the place 
“July Babies.” 
from which the plunge to the sea could most safely be made. 
Once there, both the old birds coaxed, persuaded, scolded and 
begged the biggest and strongest to make the first start, but in 
vain. Then the father himself flew down to the sea, to set a 
good example, coming quickly back to show his son that no 
harm had happened to him. Again they scolded and begged, 
till the young one, after much anxious peering about and many 
false starts, made the leap. When the young sea-bird has once 
reached the sea in safety, he dives, comes up again, and is no 
longer a timid fledgling, but knows how to sit on the roughest 
waves, fly in the teeth of the strongest gale, and fish for himself. 
