71 



Seating myself under the shade of a bush not more than 

 ten feet away I enjoyed a two hour lesson in the art of 

 nest-building. The male was an unusually bright-colored 

 bird; he was very proud and conceited too. His mate was 

 also very beautiful, even though less gaily clad than he. 

 Undoubtedly she knew more about correct house building 

 than Mr. Redstart, but he did not think so, and whenever 

 she objected to his manner of doing the work, he promptly 

 drove her away with playful snappings of his bill. In the 

 end, she had her way as is usual in such diiferences, for 

 when he went off for more material she would do his work 

 over to suit herself. 



They were exceedingly active in all their movements, 

 their actions as they chased one another about being bewil- 

 dering. Naturally, with so much play, the nest grew but 

 slowly, and it was over a week from the time the founda- 

 tion was laid before the trim little structure was completed. 

 A week later, four possibilities of future Redstarts occupied 

 the nest. As there were many squirrels about and the woods 

 were often frequented by boys, I concluded it well to at 

 least get one photographic record of the nest in case any- 

 thing should happen to it. It was located only about four 

 feet above ground and I had not the least difficulty in get- 

 ting a good likeness of the female as she descended to the 

 eggs. 



The male bird, at this time, was literally "out of a job," 

 for I never saw him assist her in the duties of incubation 

 and only once while I was present did he bring her anything 

 to eat. He spent his time in the tops of the trees, singing, 

 dashing after insects and driving away birds that came to(» 

 near him. With the advent of the young, came an end to 

 his period of loafing and he did his duty manfully and with 

 much enthusiasm. 



The actions of the two birds, in the presence of the cam- 

 era, were quite different. The male showed a disdain fo^ 



