THE BUILDING OF TIIF. NEST. 



interest in the Wcaning season ; something to look fur in the 

 naked woods, a motive for winter Avalks. Thongh many of 

 the frailer structures melt away or are torn down by high 

 winds, the more carefully woven ones often remain over the 

 winter. 



On looking out one morning last January, after a night 

 when a light, thawing snow had been followed by a shai'p 

 freeze, I was surprised and fascinated by the appearance 

 of an Oriole's nest Avhich hung from an elm near the house, 

 and which had been invisible before. Its gray pocket Avas 

 brimful of soft snow, Avhich Avas oozing out of the to}) like 

 foam, Avliile the outside Avas coated Avith thin ice, A\'hich 

 accentuated the Avoven strands and hung doAvn in fantastic 

 icicles scintillating in the sun. 



Another Avinter day I AA'as attracted by seeing a held- 

 luouse run from a tuft of grass at the root of a small l)ush, 

 and I found there a nest, presumably that of a Song 8par- 

 roAV, containing tAvo SparroAv eggs and one belonging to the 

 Gowbird. The nest had evidently l)een abandoned on 

 account of the alien egg, and it made a convenient hiding- 

 place for the mouse, Avho had nibbled at the eggs and found 

 their contents dried aAvay. In the autumn and Avinter you 

 may appropriate the nests you find, and examine and pull 

 them apart Avitli a freedom Avhich, if indulged in during the 

 spring or early summer, Avould give many a bird the heart- 

 ache and an added distrust of bipeds. 



])o you rememlier the January entry in Thoreau's 

 journal? "Another bright Avinter's day, to the Avoods to 

 see Avhat birds' nests are made of." 



NoAV if you are interested, aAvake, and clear-eyed, go out 

 as I have said, and I Avill lead you, figuratively, telling you 

 Avhat you may find as a foretaste. Begin near at home ; go 

 through the garden first, then to the nearest field and the 

 bit of marsh-bordered wood. Do not go further than Avliere 

 you may walk without ceremony or fuss. Never make a 

 laborious tour of the bird-quest, or think that you must live 

 in a tent remote from people, in order to name tlie majorily 

 of our every-day birds. 



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