250 FEO^f BLOMIDON TO SMOKY. 



a rate wliicli no other bird can equal and main- 

 tain, should come back into this pit and call it 

 his home ! He spoke again, and once more the 

 heavy air of the chimney responded to his whir- 

 ring wings as he droj^ped a little lower to the 

 level of the nest and turned his bright eyes 

 inquiringly toward his mate. Her wings now 

 moved, and she lifted herself away from the 

 frail platform of glued twigs and stuck against 

 the bricks a few feet distant. The male, raising 

 his wings and keeping them moving, walked fly- 

 like to the nest and settled upon it. Instead of 

 facing directly toward the north wall, Jie sat 

 upon the nest at a different angle, so that his 

 forked wings projected obliquely from the nest's 

 edge. A moment later the female made the air 

 throb and boom to her powerful flight as she 

 flew toward and into the light. 



Twenty minutes passed ; the bird on the nest 

 was restless, and squii'med in a way which sug- 

 gested physical discomfort. Then he gave a low 

 call ; and a moment later darkness, hurried 

 notes, and the fluttering of strong wings an- 

 nounced the mother-bird's return. She dropped 

 down backward until close beside the nest, struck 

 and clung to the bricks, and then, using her feet 

 almost as well as though on level ground, gained 

 the nest and pushed her way upon it, fairly for- 

 cing off her mate, who seemed to have no incli- 



