When they came to the chaffinch’s neat little nest in the fork of the tree, they got a great surprise. The four little mottled eggs were gone. In their place were four tiny naked creatures, with little tufts of dark coloured down upon their heads and necks. They had very large mouths, and their eyes were closed. “Oh, what funny little things,” said Frank. As soon as he spoke, the baby chaffinches stretched out their slender little necks, opened their wide, gaping mouths, and cried for food. “_Pink, Pink, Pink!_” came from a neighbouring tree. “Come down, Frank!” Uncle George whispered. “Let us go back from the nest, and we will perhaps see the old birds feeding them.” With another “_Pink, Pink, Pink_,” the cock chaffinch flew down and stood on the edge of the nest. He had something in his bill. This he dropped into one of the gaping little mouths, and flew away. Next came the hen bird with something in her bill. She fed another of the hungry little birds, and flew away also. The boys were greatly interested. They wanted to stay the whole afternoon and watch the chaffinches feeding their young, but their uncle would not allow this. “No, no, my dear boys,” he said, “we must not annoy our little feathered friends too much, or they may forsake their beautiful nest and their helpless young ones. “We will come back in a fortnight and see the young birds. You will not know them then, for they will be fully fledged.” “What do you mean by ‘fully fledged,’ Uncle George?” Tom asked. “It means covered all over with feathers, does it not?” said Frank. Their uncle nodded. “Are these little birds not cold without feathers?” asked Tom. “Oh, dear, no,” his uncle answered. “During the day they cuddle up together in their cosy nest. At night the mother bird folds her wings over the nest.” “Where does the cock bird go at night?” asked Tom. “He sleeps on a branch quite near the nest,” his uncle answered. [Illustration: 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.