THE TRAGEDIES OF THE NESTS. ol 
When disturbed it will clasp the nest and scream, and 
snap its beak threateningly. One hatched out in a 
song-sparrow’s nest which was under my observation, 
and would soon have overridden and overborne the 
young sparrow, which came out of the shell a few 
hours later, had I not interfered from time to time 
and lent the young sparrow a helping hand. Every 
day I would visit the nest and take the sparrow out 
from under the pot-bellied interloper and place it on 
top, so that presently it was able to hold its own 
against its enemy. Both birds became fledged and 
left the nest about the same time. Whether the race 
was an even one after that, | know not. 
I noted but two warblers’ nests during that season, 
one of the black-throated blue-back and one of the 
redstart, — the latter built in an apple-tree but a few 
yards from a little rustic summer-house where I idle 
away many summer days. The lively little birds, 
darting and flashing about, attracted my attention for 
a week before I discovered their nest. They prob- 
ably built it by working early in the morning, be- 
fore I appeared upon the scene, as I never saw them 
with material in their beaks. * Guessing from their 
movements that the nest was in a large maple that 
stood near by, I climbed the tree and explored it 
thoroughly, looking especially in the forks of the 
branches, as the authorities say these birds build in a 
fork. But no nest could I find. Indeed, how can 
one by searching find a bird’s nest? I overshot the 
mark; the nest was much nearer me, almost under 
my very nose, and I discovered it, not by searching, 
but by a casual glance of the eye, while thinking of 
other matters. The bird was just settling upon it as 
I looked up from my book and caught her in the act. 
