“He sleeps on a branch quite near the nest,” his uncle answered.
Rooks and Nest.
“I have just two more questions to ask, Uncle George,” said Frank. “What do the chaffinches feed their young ones on? and what becomes of the young birds after they are fledged?”
“They feed their young chiefly on small worms, flies, grubs, beetles, and other insects. When the young chaffinches are fledged, their parents lead them from the nest. They teach them to fly, and show them where to find their food. They never lose sight of them until they are quite grown up and able to take care of themselves.”
Exercises on Lesson VIII.
1. Describe and compare the nests of rook, thrush, and chaffinch. Where would you look for each? 2. How does the chaffinch, in building his nest, imitate the colour of the tree it is built on. Can you see any special reason for this? 3. Make a list of all the British birds you know. Then divide this list into—(1) pretty birds; (2) plain birds; (3) singing birds. 4. Write a description of any bird’s nest you have seen, stating where and how it was built, and also what you learned from it.
Holly branch.