380 
BIRD-LIFE. 
are very destructive to all the smaller animals in their 
neighbourhood, while the useful ones are ten times more 
active in their benefits towards us. A pair of Sparrow 
Hawks will carry at least five-and-twenty small birds to 
their young per diem, while a couple of Titmice or Gold- 
crests daily destroy thousands of insects, wherewith to 
feed their little ones. 
With birds breeding in holes there are two things, in 
connection with the business of feeding, which appear to 
us incomprehensible : first, how they manage to collect 
sustenance sufficient for their large family ; and secondly, 
that in the dark they do not overlook or stint any one of 
their numerous progeny. Just imagine hunting for and 
gleaning a thousand insects, or some thousands of their 
eggs, carrying them home, and, lastly, distributing to 
each tiny open beak its proper allowance! It is not 
unusual to find twelve young Titmice in a hole, all alike 
in appearance and all equally hungry; not one will 
acknowledge that he has had enough; that is to say, the 
ever-expectant bill is never shut. At the same time the 
old birds do not bring food both at the same time, 
but always alternately; and yet, most assuredly, not a 
single youngster is stinted, not one is overlooked or 
forgotten! 
It is remarkable that amongst those birds where both 
parents feed their young, the mother is always the most 
active caterer of the two. Thus, the male Hobby (Falco 
subbuteo) does not carry the quarry he has captured to the 
nest, but calls as he approaches, when he is met by the 
female, who bears the prize home and divides it between 
her young ones. The male Sparrow Hawk, more 
assiduous in the chase than the female, is, however, 
unable to feed the nestlings unaided, for his spouse alone 
