14 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



what different. They were fixed in a small 

 hollow scooped out of the ground by the birds 

 themselves, and were snugly ensconced in 

 the grass, one of them being daintily roofed 

 over with plantain leaves. This one in the 

 meadow, however, rested on the ground and 

 grass roots, and was not sunk into the soil at 

 all, nor was it protected above. Thus it will 

 be seen that birds of the same species build 

 after various desio^ns. No two bird houses are 

 precisely alike, and this gives charm and vari- 

 ety to nest hunting. 



The parent birds were greatly alarmed 

 when they saw that their little homestead had 

 been found. What a pother, they made ! They 

 flew out from the willows and hovered over- 

 head like the red-winged blacfkbirds, crying 

 pitifully : " Don't steal 'em ! please don't ! We 

 love 'em so ! " Of course, I wouldn't rob a 

 pretty nest, and not one of my young readers 

 will ever be heartless enough to do so. 



There were many other birds in this mead- 

 ow, but the only other nest found was one of 

 the brow^n thrasher, which Avas raising its sec- 

 ond brood. On my way home in the park I 

 happened to glance up and saw a flicker's head 

 protruding from a hole in the trunk of a yoang 

 oak tree. She looked at me in a quizzical way, 



