CHAPTER VII 

 THE BIRD'S NEST 



" I WONDER why some birds build their nests so very 

 early, when it is cold, and there are no leaves on the 

 trees, while others wait until it is almost summer," 

 said Rap, as they walked down a narrow lane toward 

 the river. There were bushes lining the path on each 

 side, and from the singing you would think that every 

 bush had a bird on each twig. In fact, there were so 

 many birds in sight that Nat did not know Avhich to 

 ask about first, and so kept looking instead of talking. 



" The birds who are Citizens are usually the first to 

 build," answered the Doctor. ''They merely roved 

 about during the winter months, and had no long 

 journey to make before they reached the home trees 

 again, and then the hardy seed-eating birds can return 

 from the South much earlier than their frailer kin." 



" Last year," said Rap, '' when the men were chop- 

 ping trees in the great Avood beyond the lake, the 

 miller went up one day to hunt coons and took me 

 with him. It was the beginning of March and terribly 

 cold ; there were long icicles lianging on the trees, 

 and we Avere glad enough to go in by the fire in 

 the lumbermen's camp. But what do you think? — if 

 there wasn't an Owl's nest, up in a pine tree, with two 

 eggs in it ! It was in a very lonely place, and the 



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