The Friendly Phoebe 



79 



moist consistency, and placed it upon the lawn close below the Phcebes' chosen 

 pillar. To make sure that our home-made mud should consist of the ingre- 

 dients that most appeal to a Phoebe, part of the bath-tub contained dissolved 

 portions of the original Phcebes' nest. Did our feathered friends make use 

 of this assistance? In the language of the day, I'll say they did. Within a 

 few minutes they discovered our offering, and thereafter the trips from bowl 

 to pillar were made with almost feverish continuity and speed. 



In the joy of the new-found mud, Mrs. Phcebe (we assumed it was Mrs. 

 who seemed to do most of the building) splashed a veritable circle of mud 

 about her scene of operations on the new pillar top. In a surprisingly short 

 time the foundation of the nest was built. Indeed, so rapidly was the work 

 done that we unwittingly allowed the best opportunities for photography to 

 pass unused, and the only picture we got of the Phoebe at her mud-bath was 

 late in the day when the light was poor. 



As for the further history of our friendly Phcebes, they simply 'lived happily 

 ever after.' Four eggs were laid in the new nest, duly replaced by four healthy 

 birdlings who started their careers in the great wide world on the morning of 

 August i. 



AT THE MUD BATH 



