THE CHARM OF THE NEST. 89 



and capabilities thoroughly exhibited, its youthful as 

 well as its adult characteristics in all respects displayed 

 at their best. During the winter, and at the time of 

 migration, we have in view only a partial, absentee 

 phase of a bird's character, — even of its plumage ; 

 naturally, it is when at home in the summer that we 

 are presented with the more nearly complete picture. 

 An oologist, then, can better afford to neglect the 

 study of birds during other seasons, than can the 

 general ornithologist to be ignorant of how his favor- 

 ites behave at breeding-time. Many arguments plain- 

 ly favor the proposition that, apart from questions 

 of systematic arrangement, the study of breeding- 

 life is by fiir the most essential of all the subdivisions 

 of the science of ornithology. 



Furthermore, it seems to me that it is a specially 

 delightful department of that science where all is a 

 revelation of such beauty as seems nowhere else to 

 exist in natural history, unless it may be in the o:roup 

 of butterflies and moths or in the study of flowers. 

 I have been criticised for saying (in the paragraph 

 following the words quoted a moment ago) that per- 

 haps there is no animal in the world which comes 

 nearer to man's heart, and seems more akin to his 

 OAvn humanity than the bird, because of its beautiful 

 home-life, and the loving care with which it antici- 

 pates and provides for its brood ; that there is a charm 



