94 WAKE-ROBIN 



alight upon the nest, but, still suspecting all is not 

 right, quickly darts away again. Then they both 

 together come, and after much peeping and spying 

 about, and apparently much anxious consultation, 

 cautiously proceed to work. In less than half an 

 hour it would seem that wool enough has been 

 brought to supply the whole family, real and pro- 

 spective, with socks, if needles and fingers could be 

 found fine enough to knit it up. In less than a 

 week the female has begun to deposit her eggs, — 

 four of them in as many days, — white tinged with 

 purple, with black spots on the larger end. After 

 two weeks of incubation the young are out. 



Excepting the American goldfinch, this bird builds 

 later in the spring than any other, — its nest, in our 

 northern climate, seldom being undertaken till July. 

 As with the goldfinch, the reason is, probably, that 

 suitable food for the young cannot be had at an 

 earlier period. 



Like most of our common species, as the robin, 

 sparrow, bluebird, pewee, wren, etc., this bird 

 sometimes seeks wild, remote localities in which to 

 rear its young; at others, takes up its abode near 

 that of man. I knew a pair of cedar-birds, one 

 season, to build in an apple-tree, the branches of 

 which rubbed against the house. For a day or two 

 before the first straw was laid, I noticed the pair 

 carefully exploring every branch of the tree, the 

 female taking the lead, the male following her with 

 an anxious note and look. It was evident that the 

 wife was to have her choice this time; and, like 



