54 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



very uneasy about their little ones, and will 

 mieio loudly when they suspect the presence of 

 danger ; but, to my surprise, the pair of which 

 I speak never once uttered a cry, although I 

 took two of their babies from the nest to ex- 

 amine them. Several flickers have acted in the 

 same way, repressing any outcry of alarm. 



What a pity that there can not be perfect 

 harmony in the animal world, and that some 

 species must be constantly preying upon others ! 

 But so it is, and we can only wonder at the 

 mystery of it, and do what we are able to 

 lighten the troubles of the innocent. 



I iind so many despoiled nests in my ram- 

 bles that my enjoyment of bird study is sadly 

 marred. One spidng I think that over half of 

 the nests I discovered were afterward robbed. 

 Many, many times, after finding a nest of some 

 interesting species, and resolving to watch the 

 conduct of the old birds, and be present at the 

 flight of the young ones, the veiy next time I 

 called at the little cottage it would be robbed 

 of its treasures and torn by ruthless claws. 



Probably the worst enemy of small birds 

 is the blue jay, which illustrates the proverb, 

 " Handsome is as handsome does " ; for his gay 

 holiday attire does not give him a kind and 

 honest heart. Having found a nest of eggs. 



