Robin Feeding Young: Scene, the base of a large pine tree in the corner
of a lawn; actors, a mother robin and two of her young.
I was much interested in their proceedings and watched them for some
time. One of the young ones did not seem to understand matters very
clearly and often failed to do what mother robin wished it to. The other
one, however, was a very apt pupil, and did many bright things. Finally
it began to gather food on its own account and succeeded in capturing
several worms, small butterflies, etc. But it did not stop here; it
remembered its nest mate, and, following the example of the mother bird,
collected food and placed it in the mouth of the less active learner. A
very good example of how closely parents are imitated, in the bird
world, as well as in the human subject.
The above incident as witnessed and recorded in the writer’s note book,
seem too good to be lost sight of, and I trust they may prove of
interest to all.
Berton Mercer.