i8o WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



however, the bird began to cahn down and pres- 

 ently changed his alarm note to a third cry, a 

 liquid — 



** Quirt!" which signified discomfort, rather 

 than danger. 



Shan got no nearer to the nest that day. 



Early next morning, his uncle having gone 

 down river in the boat, Shan set himself anew to 

 the search for the Thrush's nest. Returning to 

 the spot he had left the evening before, the boy 

 spent all morning shifting his post of observation 

 from point to point, but without any sign of a sec- 

 ond Thrush, though he felt sure the nest was near. 



Noon came, and with it, lunch-time, the lunch 

 consisting of the invariable hog-meat and corn- 

 bread, the former rancid and greasy and the latter 

 cold and stodgy. But good appetite and youth can 

 manage even a lunch of this description and there 

 were only a few crumbs left to throw on the 

 ground when the boy had done. The friendly 

 Chickadee, however, fearless like all his tribe, 

 came down to peck at the crumbs. 



Lunch over, Shan set himseK to reconnoiter 

 anew. He had worked round in a circle, from sev- 

 eral points of which he had noted the Thrush fly- 

 ing inward. The nest, therefore, must be some- 



