Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
(211) (or new nest)
providing ample leisure time. The singing was done from a dead branch
of the old oak over my head, from which she could command a view, not
only of the surrounding country for miles, but of everything taking
place in the glade below where the young birds for the last day or
so have continued to stay without straying. In order to keep them well
fed all she has to do is to drop down from the tree and get food either
from me or from the disk that is kept there. The young birds, if
not already playing around me pecking my ankles and pulling the tongues
of my shoes, quickly gather about her and it is merely a matter of
reaching into the dish, turn, and push the food down one of the throats,
then back to the tree for more music. Simple. If singing palls on her,
then she can pry off loose bark from the dead limb and drop it on
whatever happens to be beneath at the time. The young usually lie
about the ground after a good square meal for a short time sunning
and preening, then play with leaves, twigs and other loose objects
and chase each other around the glade. They also now pick up the crumbs
that are dropped, and one of them this morning went to the food dish
and helped himself. I have not seen either of the parents make the
slightest attempt to instruct their young in anything whatever. The
nearest approach occurs when Brownie reaches over and taps one of them
on the back of the head to make him open his mouth when he is not
paying attention; but this is not often necessary. I have seen it
done perhaps a half of a dozen times and the response has always
been prompt. The insides of their mouths are now pink instead of
yellow. They are inveterate sun-fitters.
12:20 P.M. One has just taken the first observed drink of water,
followed by the first bath noted. They chase flies and moths, but I
have not seen them catch any. One picked up and dropped a sow-bug
several times; Brownie noticed what was going on, seized it and flicked
it away. I have seen her look at them but not touch them, with the
exception noted. Both adults and juveniles refuse fruit