152 BIRDS OF THE PLAINS 



for grass stems, which they fastened to the branch of 

 the tree by means of strands of cobweb. They did not 

 hunt for material in company, as some birds do. The 

 cock would go in one direction and the hen in another. 

 Each, as it found a suitable piece of dried grass, or moss, 

 or cobweb, or whatever it happened to be seeking, would 

 dash back joyfully to the nest with it and weave it into 

 the structure. Sometimes one bird would return while 

 the other was at work on the nursery; the former would 

 then sit near by and wait until the latter had finished. 



At the end of the first day the nest appeared to the 

 uninitiated eye merely a tangle of grass stems stuck on to 

 the tree, but owing to the united efforts of the energetic 

 little builders, it soon took definite shape. By the third 

 day it was obvious that the nest was to have the form 

 of an inverted cone firmly bound to the branch of the 

 tree. The birds took the utmost care to make the nest 

 circular. In order to ensure a smooth, round cavity they 

 would sit in it and, with wings spread over the edge, turn 

 their bodies round and round. At the end of about five 

 days' steady work the nursery had assumed its final 

 shape. But even then much remained to be done. The 

 whole of the exterior had to be thickly covered with 

 cobweb and little silky cocoons. This was two full days' 

 work. 



Great was the delight of the little birds when the last 

 delicate filament had been added. Their joy knew no 

 bounds. They would sit in the nest and cry out in pure 

 delight. The whole orchard rang with their notes of 

 jubilation. Then a little pinkish egg, spotted with red, 

 appeared in the nest. This was followed, next day, by 



