. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds. Birds; Birds. SONQLESS BIRDS OF OBGHARD AND WOODLAND. 243 that the male bird assists the female in the care of the young; but in my experience the male is always absent, and the female alone provides for the young family. The feeding of such a family is a most inter- esting proceeding, as the birds are fed by regurgitation until the very day before they leave the nest. The fo
. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds. Birds; Birds. SONQLESS BIRDS OF OBGHARD AND WOODLAND. 243 that the male bird assists the female in the care of the young; but in my experience the male is always absent, and the female alone provides for the young family. The feeding of such a family is a most inter- esting proceeding, as the birds are fed by regurgitation until the very day before they leave the nest. The following re- marks on the appearance of the young birds and their feeding are taken from my notes of July, 1905 : â How perfect are these little fledgeling wanderers, in their tiny, moss-covered cup, shaded from the southern sun rays by the green bird feeding young, â¢^ â ' ° one-half natural size, leaves which overhang and sur- round the nest. Their dainty new feathers, of but a few days' growth, have been touched by the tender mother's breast alone or the gentle dew of heaven. Their inscrutable, brilliant dark eyes flash quick glances all around; no motion escapes them. One leans forward from the nest and attempts to pick a moving aphis from the limb. Their whole bodies throb quickly with the fast-surging tide of hot life pulsing through their veins. Now, with a boom like a great bee, the mother suddenly appears out of the air as she darts almost in my face. I am standing within two feet of the nest, and she hangs on buzzing wing, inspecting me, then perches on a, limb just above my head, then on another a few feet away, her head raised and neck craned to its fullest extent. Buzzing about from place to place, she inspects me, until, satisfied, she finally alights on the edge of the nest at the usual place, where her constant coming has detached a piece of lichen and trodden down the fabric of the edge. The little birds raise themselves with flut- tering
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherb, booksubjectbirds
