MISTLETOE BIRD, WOOD SWALLOW 



laden with ripe berries, and each time was driven away by 

 an angry flash of red and dark blue. We kept a sharp look- 

 out from where we stood, and presently saw the female 

 Mistletoe Bird arrive with nesting material. Our excite- 

 ment may be imagined. Her movements led to a small 

 sapling but a few yards from the disputed cherry tree. 

 Here we found the purse-like nest suspended from a hori- 

 zontal branch about ten feet from the ground. It faced 

 the north, and was built of sheep's wool and the woolly 

 substance collected from dead leaves of the blanket-wood 

 tree. This latter substance grows on the underside of the 

 leaves of the shrub, but, in our opinion, is not removed 

 while the leaves are still green. When a leaf dies, how- 

 ever, the fleshy part withers and curls up, leaving the 

 woolly substance dry and easily removed. We have seen 

 the bird removing the material in this state. 



Although we remained near the nest a considerable 

 time, the female did not again appear, and we began to 

 fear that our presence had caused her to desert. The male 

 bird appeared to take no part in the nest building, but con- 

 fined his attention to clearing his domain of feathered in- 

 truders. 



It was not until nearly three weeks later that we were 

 again able to visit the hill. We were relieved to find that 

 the nest had survived the severe gales that had been blow- 

 ing, and that three young birds had been hatched some few 

 days before. The female made several visits with food, 

 and invariably flew to a branch a foot or two above the 

 nest before clinging to the front of it to feed the young. 

 The food at this time consisted of insects only. 



The male was not seen at all on this occasion, and the 

 wariness of the female made us doubtful of success. A 

 few days later, nevertheless, we put in an early appearance, 

 provided with fencing rails (borrowed, of course), and 

 string with which to form a staging before the nest. This 

 foundation for the camera was rather on the wobbly side, 

 but served its purpose fairly well. It was only after three 

 days that our subject summoned sufficient courage to cling 

 to the nest while the camera was in position. 



On one or two occasions that day the male bird ap- 

 proached to within a few feet of the nest, but brought no 

 food. We were satisfied that he took no part in the feeding 

 duties, and despaired of obtaining his portrait. We did 



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