WHO OWNED THE BABY? 185 



did Mamma refuse help in her hard work, and 

 why did the chestnut-sided insist on helping? 

 If he were a chestnut-sided infant, how did he 

 come in a redstart nest, and what had the red- 

 start to do with him? 



These were the problems with which we had 

 to grapple, and we settled ourselves to the work. 

 We placed our seats against neighboring sap- 

 lings, for backs, and we first critically examined 

 that nest. It was surely a redstart's, though at 

 an unusual height, perhaps twenty -five feet, as 

 we had observed the day before when we had 

 both noted in our books that we saw the male 

 feeding the young. Even had the nest not been 

 so plainly a redstart's, the air of that mother 

 was unmistakable. She owned that nest and 

 that baby, there could not be a doubt, and the 

 dapper little personage with chestnut sides was 

 an interloper. 



Nearly two hours we watched every movement 

 of the small actors in this strange drama, and 

 in seeking food they often came within six feet 

 of us on our own level, so that we could not 

 mistake their identity. 



The poor little mamma was in deep distress. 

 Although her mate was absent, she resented her 

 neighbor's efforts to help in her work, and 

 dashed at him furiously every time she saw him 

 come. Yet she could not stay on guard, for 



