136 BIRDS'-NESTS. 



turious in such things, on observing the bird begin 

 uing to build, hung out near the prospective nest 

 Bkeins of many-colored zephyr yarn, which the eagei 

 artist readily appropriated. lie managed it so that 

 the bird used nearly equal quantities of various high, 

 bright colors. The nest Avas made unusually deep 

 and capacious, and it may be questioned if such a 

 thing of beauty was ever before woven by the cunning 

 of a bird. 



Nuttall, by far the most genial of American orni- 

 thologists, relates the following : — 



" A female (oriole), which I observed attentively, 

 carried off to her nest a piece of lamp-wick ten or 

 twelve feet long. This long string and many other 

 Bhorter ones were left hanging out for about a week 

 before both the ends were wattled into the sides of 

 the nest. Some other little birds making use ol simi- 

 lar materials, at times twitched these flowing ends, 

 and generally brought out the busy Baltimore from 

 her occupation in great anger. 



"I may perhaps claim indulgence for adding a 

 ittle more of the biography of this particular bird, as 

 a representative also of the instincts of her racft 

 She completed the nest in about a week's time, with- 

 vmt any aid from her mate ; who indeed appeared but 

 seldom in her company and was now become nearly 

 silent. For fibrous materials she broke, hackled, 

 and gathered the flax of the asclepias and hibiscia 

 stacks, tearing oflf long strings and flying with thenc 

 vo the scene of her labors. She appeared very eager 



