280 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



tage, and even in an empty kitchen ; sometimes it rests 

 on a beam, though it is" frequently attached to the side of 

 a piece of roofing timber in the manner of the Swallow. 

 The outside is generally made of a mixture of moss {Hyp- 

 num) and clay, and formed with considerable solidity ; 

 inside it is lined with flaxy fibres, films of bark, wool, horse- 

 hair, or only with dry grass. The nest is also sometimes 

 made merely of mud, root-fibres, and withered grass. 

 The eggs are about 5, pure white, without any spots. 



According to the touching relation of Wilson, this 

 humble and inoffensive bird, forms conjugal attachments, 

 which probably continue through life ; for, like the faith- 

 ful Blue-birds, a pair continued for several years to fre- 

 quent and build in a romantic cave, in the forest which 

 made part of the estate of the venerable naturalist, Wil- 

 liam Bartram. Here our unfortunate birds had again taken 

 up their welcome lease for the summer, again chanted 

 forth their simple lay of affection, and cheered my aged 

 friend with the certain news of spring ; when unexpect- 

 edly a party of idle boys, one fatal Saturday, destroyed 

 with the gun the parents of this old and peaceful settle- 

 ment ; and from that time forward no other pair were 

 ever seen around this once happy, now desolate spot. 



Their attachment to particular places is indeed re- 

 markable. About the middle of April, 1831, at the Fresh 

 Pond Hotel, in this vicinity, 3 different nests were begun 

 in the public boat-house, which may be here considered 

 almost as a thoroughfare ; only one nest, however, was 

 completed : and we could not help admiring the courage 

 and devotedness with which the parents fed their young, 

 and took their alternate station by the side of the nest, 

 undaunted in our presence, only now and then uttering 

 a 'tship when observed too narrowly. Some ruffian at 

 length tore down the nest, and carried off the brood, but 



