24 BIRDS. 
about them. It wasa season of calamities, of violent 
deaths, of pillage and massacre, among our feathered 
neighbors. For the first time I noticed that the 
orioles were not safe in their strong, pendent nests. 
Three broods were started in the apple-trees, only a 
few yards from the house, where, for previous seasons, 
the birds had nested without molestation ; but this 
time the young were all destroyed when about half 
grown. Their chirping and chattering, which was so 
noticeable one day, suddenly ceased the next. The 
nests were probably plundered at night, and doubtless 
by the little red screech-owl, which I know is a denizen 
of these old orchards, living in the deeper cavities of 
the trees. The owl cogld alight on the top of the nest, 
and easily thrust his murderous claw down into 
its long pocket and seize the young and draw them 
forth. The tragedy of one of the nests was heightened,* 
or at least made more palpable, by one of the half- 
fledged birds, either in its attempt to escape or while 
in the clutches of the enemy, being caught and entan- 
gled in one of the horse-hairs by which the nest was 
stayed and held to the limb above. There it hung 
bruised and dead, gibbeted to its own cradle. This 
nest was the theatre of another little tragedy later in 
the season. Some time in August a bluebird, indulging 
its propensity to peep and pry into holes and crevices, 
alighted upon it and probably inspected the interior; 
but by some unlucky move it got its wings entangled 
in this same fatal horse-hair. Its efforts to free itself 
appeared only to result in its being more securely and 
hopelessly bound ; and there it perished; and there its 
form, dried and embalmed by the summer heats, was 
yet hanging in September, the outspread wings and 
plumage showing nearly as bright as in life. 
