78 BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



nursery caused her not a little agitation, which she dis- 

 played by flinging about from bole to bole and uttering 

 a nervous chirp. 



As to costume, the male and the female had little in 

 common. Her back was picturesquely mottled and 

 barred with black and white, her head light brown, her 

 breast decorated with a large black patch, and her other 

 under parts yellow. Had the couple not been seen 

 together flitting about the nest, they would not have 

 been regarded as mates, so differently were they habited. 



Standing before the doorway of the nursery — it was not 

 quite so high as my head — I could plainly hear the 

 chirping of the youngsters within. Much as I coveted 

 the sight of a brood of this rare species, I could not bring 

 myself to break down the walls of their cottage and thus 

 expose them to the claws and beaks of their foes. Even 

 scientific curiosity must be restrained by considerations 

 of mercy. 



The liege lord of the family had now disappeared. 

 Desirous of seeing him once more, I hid myself in a 

 bush-clump near at hand and awaited his return. Pres- 

 ently he came ambling along and scrambled into the 

 orifice, turning his body sidewise, as he had done before. 

 I made my way quietly to the snag and tapped upon it 

 with my cane, but he did not come out, as I expected 

 him to do. Then I struck the snag more vigorously. 

 No result. Then I whacked the bole-directly in the rear 



