showed unusual interest in the nest, and both of them
often stood upon the edge at the same time. That day was doubtless the
birthday of the first little king.

To be sure, the careful mother still sat on the nest part of every day,
but that she continued to do, with ever-lengthening intervals, till
every infant had grown up and left the homestead forever.

All through the sitting the work of the head of the family had been
confined to encouraging his partner with an early morning song and his
cheerful presence during the day, and to guarding the nest while she
sought her food; but now that her most fatiguing labor was over, his
began. At first he took entire charge of the provision supply, while she
kept her nurslings warm and quiet, which every mother, little or big,
knows is of great importance. When the young father arrived with food,
which he did frequently, his spouse stepped to the nearest twig and
looked on with interest, while he leaned over and filled one little
mouth, or at any rate administered one significant poke which must be
thus interpreted. He did not stay long; indeed, he had not time, for
this way of supplying the needs of a family is slow business; and
although there were but three mouths to fill, three excursions and three
hunts were required to fill them. In the early morning he seemed to
have more leisure; at that time, the happy young couple stood one each
side of the nest, and the silent listener would hear the gentle murmurs
of what Victor Hugo calls "the airy dialogues of the nest." Ah, that our
dull ears could understand!

For some days the homestead was never left alone, and the summer breezes

"Softly rocked the babies three,
Nestled under the mother's wing,"

almost as closely as before they came out of the egg. But much of the
time she sat on the edge, while her partner came and went, always
lingering a moment to look in. It was pretty to see him making up his
mind where to put the morsel, so small that it did not show in the beak.
He turned his head one side and then the other, considered, decided, and
at last thrust it in the selected mouth.

The resting-time of the newly made matron was short; for when those
youngsters were four days old--so fast do birdlings grow--the labor of
both parents was required to keep them fed. Every ten minutes of the day
one of the pair came to the nest: the father invariably alighted,
deliberated, fed, and then flew; while the mother administere