290 Bird - Lore 



day, ten being the highest number tliat winter; a brilliant company on a snow 

 background. Some of them were familiar enough to come to the special table 

 by the kitchen window, looking so entirely like our little mother bird, after 

 we had felt so sure of her. 



So many queries come in bird study ! How did the others know there was 

 corn in this little Egypt? Corn there was, always, and melon and pumpkin 

 seeds. They are very fond of them and of sunflower seeds — the latter almost 

 too tempting to Jays during the season when they so boldly call themselves 

 what they are, thieves. 



After the middle of February not so many Cardinals came, and by the 

 middle of March only the pair remained. 



If others came, they were driven away. The last week in March, the male 

 for a number of days persistently fought his shadow reflected in the window. 

 It was distressing, for it seemed certain he would injure himself. By this 

 time they were cheerful neighbors, with their calls and bits of song on bright 

 mornings. 



Some warm March days they discussed nesting-places in porch vines. 

 Their happy, low-voiced twitter, when preparing to build, is always easily 

 recognized. The second week in April the matter evidently could not be 

 longer delayed. 



The female brought building material, working an hour or two during the 

 middle of the day, faithfully followed by her mate, whistling and advising, 

 but never doing any work. 



The nest was a long time in building, but was never used, nor was it dis- 

 turbed. The query comes. Why did they build it? They never seemed in 

 earnest about it, rather more like children building a playhouse. May 2 she 

 began another nest, going about it very differently, working early and late, 

 and staying on it by the 5 th. 



Their nests are not fine specimens but are evidently more substantial than 

 they look, since they have never come down in storms. Often two or three 

 big maple leaves serve for foundation; then twigs cut from honeysuckle, and 

 grape-vine fiber, with soft, coarse grass to furnish lining. When the little 

 mother is on the nest, the browns all blend together and only the bright coral 

 beak tells that she is there. They need the protective coloring, for their nest 

 is too often not well hidden and not more than five or six feet from ground. 



May 16 this second nest was disturbed sometime during the day. The 

 eggs were on the ground, broken. On the 17th she began building again in a 

 nearby rosebush, and during the first week in June hatched three birds. 



The care-free days of the male were now ended. As soon as the eggs began 

 to hatch, he would come to the nest. Then he would hop to one side, and to- 

 gether they would brood over the nest, 'talking' it over in low, earnest notes. 

 This was usually when some eggs failed to hatch and she was staying on the 

 nest. Was it the other eggs that troubled them? 



