File:Wild nature's ways (1903) (14564243707).jpg

Identifier: wildnaturesways00kear (find matches)
Title: Wild nature's ways
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Kearton, Richard, 1862-1928
Subjects: Birds Insects Natural history
Publisher: London, Paris, New York Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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fwriggling worms, which she distributed very im-partially amongst four little yellow mouths openedwide in supplication. The weather was verychilly, and after feeding her chicks, the mother-bird sat down in the nest and puffed out her CURIOSITIES OF WILD LIFE. 71 plumage in such a way that no breath of coldmorning air could reach her featherless and almostdownless brood beneath. As the day grew on apace, and consequentlybecame warmer, the bird left her nest, and wentaway in search of food, which her husband wasbringing in beggarly quantities, and with no greatfrequency. From a supplementary peephole in my hidingtent I discovered a pert cock robin feeding hiswife, sitting on a nest upon the opposite side ofthe chalk pit. His industry and solicitude wereso great that his mates appetite became satiatedto the extent of an utter refusal to open her billfor the most tempting morsel, and, to my astonish-ment and delight, her husband kindly broughtthe food over and gave it to the grateful baby
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MALE SONG THRUSHBRINGING FOOD. ^2 WILD NATURES WAYS. song thrushes in front of me. My surprise wasso complete that during his first visit I utterlyforgot to use the camera. This neglect on mypart proved of little consequence, however, forhe afterwards gave me plenty of opportunitiesof exercising my skill. His assiduity knew nobounds, and the comical way in which he cockedhis little head on one side and gazed at the open-mouthed recipients of his charity was an ornitho-logical treat such as I may never enjoy again. Once, when he arrived with food and alightedon a hazel twig growing immediately over the nest,the female song thrush happened to be at home,and there was an exchange of looks. By one ofthose aggravating mischance:, unfortunately notuncommon in the experience of the naturahsti:»hotographer, I missed a wonderful picture ofavian expression. From whatever impulse thegenerous action of the robin sprang, the ownerof the nest made it unmistakably plain thathis assistance was not a

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