316 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
the delicate purling song, with the refrain, ‘ Dear, dear, 
think of it, think of it,’ and the low two-syllabled answer 
of the female is heard in every orchard. The building of 
the nest is not an important function, — merely the 
gathering of a few wisps and straws, with some chance 
feathers for lining. It seems to be shared by both parents, 
as are the duties of hatching, and feeding the young. The 
eggs vary in number, six being the maximum, and they 
are not especially attractive, being of so pale a blue that 
it is better to call them bluish white. Two broods are 
usually raised each year, though three are said to be not 
uncommon; for Bluebirds are active during a long season, 
and, while the first nest is made before the middle of April, 
last year a brood left the box over my rose arbour Septem- 
ber 12, though I do not know whether this was a belated 
or a prolonged family arrangement. 
“As parents the Bluebirds are tireless, both in supply- 
ing the nest with insect-food and attending to its sanita- 
tion; the wastage being taken away and dropped at a 
distance from the nest at almost unbelievably short inter- 
vals, proving the wonderful rapidity of digestion and the 
immense amount of labour required to supply the mill 
inside the little speckled throats with grist. 
“The young Bluebirds are spotted thickly on throat 
and back, after the manner of the throat of their cousin, 
the Robin; or rather, the back feathers are spotted, the 
breast feathers having dusky edges, giving a speckled 
effect. 
“The study of the graduations of plumage of almost 
any brightly coloured male bird, from its first clothing until 
the perfectly matured feather of its breeding season, is 
