NEST BUILDING 287 



coot, grebe, rail, and duck. Take the rail for an 

 example. Undoubtedly the choice of a location 

 depends upon the fact that a certain spot slightly 

 above water offers all the material required for a 

 nest. The female snips the green blades of this 

 year's grass from as large a place as she wishes for 

 her nest. Then she steps in among the crisp, dead 

 grasses of last year, breaks them off with her feet, 

 and sitting down turns around repeatedly, at the 

 same time gathering all dry grass blades with her 

 beak and working them into a slight rim around 

 her breast. Then she catches this year's green, 

 growing blades outside her location above her head, 

 and literally ties them into knots. With material 

 needed in reach, and granted that the female is the 

 architect, really there is nothing for the male to 

 do. The case is similar with the other water birds 

 mentioned. 



The experience of my whole life afield, all my con- 

 victions based on hints and glimpses, and all the 

 proof that can be adduced from my negative closet 

 show that the tie between birds is strong enough 

 that the male helps build the nest, frequently car- 

 ries morsels of food to the brooding mother, espe- 

 cially in the first days after the emergence of the 

 young, when they must be fed and are too ten- 

 der to be left uncovered; he remains close to his 

 family at all times, holding himself ready to risk 

 his life for his nest, in case of an attack of any kind. 

 The nest is the objective point around which both 



