156 Bird- Lore They were of different sizes, the one first hatched being the larger. He was also the stronger of the two, and it is he who in the series of three photo- graphs which show the young, stands in such a frightened attitude while the weaker one crouches at his nest- mate's feet. The young were con- tinually peeping and could be heard some distance from the nest. At the age of seventeen days, the quill feathers were beginning to appear. Since my last visit the nest had been altered. The larger fledgling occupied the main part and the smaller made use of the portion on the other side of still in the nest the nest. on my next ^^'^^^nQHH&^^B! l ^^ ^' visit, June 8. -'^ JtSw^lamk HtcIf* P ected to finci They were IHJJm the young biras there, however, and, although they were t w e n t y-n i ne days old, there were still patches of down among the growing brown feathers. They seemed no more afraid of me than they would have been of a large object of any description. They opened their beaks and spread their wings, but had not yet learned the defensive use of the former or how to get out of harm's way with the latter. On this, my last visit before the young left the nest, I crept cautiously through the woods east- ward of the nest and succeeded in reaching the base of the tree without either Hawk guessing my pro- ximity. Presently one came sinking to the nest as silent as the shadow YOUNG RED-TAILS AT SIX, SEVENTEEN AND TWENTY-ONE DAYS OLD
