although he could only
feed one at a time, and he never, for the life of him, could remember
which he had fed last.

Worms, grubs, caterpillars, insects, all found their way to the little
gaping mouths,--nothing came amiss, until the Blackbird felt that if it
went on much longer there would be no insects left in the whole country,
and that his young ones would certainly die of indigestion. However, the
little birds flourished, and grew apace, and each night as the Blackbird
drew in his wings for a few short hours of rest, he wondered when the
brood would be old enough to feed themselves, for he looked forward, and
with no small longing, to that time of rest.

END OF CHIRP THE SECOND.

CHIRP THE THIRD.

SUMMER.

It is not to be supposed that our little friends Willie and Alice made
but that one visit to the Blackbird's nest. No, at some hour or other of
each day the small couple stole across the lawn to peep at the mother as
she sat on her nest. At first, the birds were rather alarmed by these
visitations, but they soon grew accustomed to them, more especially when
they found that their young friends meant no harm.

One morning, on going to the nest, Willie was very much surprised to
find that a wonderful change had taken place. The pretty little blue
eggs had disappeared, and behold, in their place were five callow,
gaping creatures! Alice was also very much interested, and it was but
natural that she should insist upon seeing what excited her brother so
much. Willie, therefore, after considerable difficulty, raised her
sufficiently high to let her have a good look at the funny little heads.
At the sight of them, Alice kicked her little feet with joy, which
caused her to slip quickly through Willie's arms on to the grass. Her
fresh white frock was a good deal tumbled in consequence, and her hat
had fallen off in the scramble.

At this critical moment their nurse, Mrs. Barlow, appeared on the scene.
"Master Willie! Master Willie!" she called, "how often I've told you not
to lift Miss Alice. She's a deal too heavy for you; and look how you've
tumbled her clean white frock. There'll be an accident some day, or my
name's not Barlow. I won't have you dragging her about the country in
this way; before you've done you'll make a regular tom-boy of her, and,
bless her heart, she's a real delicate little lady."

Master Willie tried to look penitent, and he secretly hoped their
beloved nest would not be discover