274 HOMING WITH THE BIRDS 



than numbers of other male birds. This is the 

 truth of the fallacy for years published and re- 

 published to the effect that the male wren "builds 

 the nest before the female arrives or mates with 

 him," or that he "builds several false nests," to de- 

 ceive people as to his real location. 



The song sparrow carries material to his mate 

 while she is at work — hair and down for lining — 

 making many trips to horse stables, watering 

 troughs, and cow barns for long tail hairs clinging 

 to entrances, fences, and stalls. When I was a 

 child, Mother's carriage pair was white, and I 

 always recognized their hair in birds' nests. I even 

 differentiated Ned's, which was pure white, from 

 Joe's, which was grey, while the brown work 

 horses had black mane and tail, as did an elder 

 sister's pony. 



Male bluebirds sit outside their doors with build- 

 ing material and wait until the female comes out 

 in order that they may enter and place it. The 

 robins, which every year build on the logs of the 

 Cabin, in the vines covering it, and on the near-by 

 trees, both work on their nests; the male carries 

 material, the female carries and builds. All of us 

 see this repeatedly; there can be no mistake about 

 it. Male robins are among the birds that fre- 

 quently enter half -built nests to place material; 

 the females always make an angry dart at them 

 when they catch them doing it, clearly proving that 

 the hen considers it her province to build the nest. 



