138 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



home is wholly a thing of man's mak- 

 ing, and he may gather about it the 

 growing things that need his constant 

 ministry. The sight of such an open 

 space gives the birds more confidence, 

 and the worm enemies that always fol- 

 low cultivation offer them a change of 

 food. 



The old queen-apple tree that casts 

 its petals every May against the win- 

 dow-panes, like snow blushing at its 

 own boldness, held many nests last 

 spring. A bluebird spied a knot-hole 

 where decay had left him an easy task; 

 a pair of yellow warblers, with cinna- 

 mon-streaked breasts, fastened their 

 tiny cup between a forked branch 

 above the range of sight. For several 

 days I watched these birds, fluttering 

 about the window corners where cob- 

 webs cling and spiders weave, and 

 thought they searched for food, until, 



