THE BIRD'S NEST 83 



" There is no nest. Two eggs are laid on the bare 

 ground, that is about the same color as the bird itself ; 

 and the eggs look too much like streaky pebbles to be 

 easily seen. When the young are hatched they keep 

 still until tliey are able to fly, and are colored so exactly 

 like the place upon which they rest that it is almost 

 impossible to see them, even if you know where they 

 are." 



" How much there is to learn! " sighed Nat. " Fni 

 afraid you will have to make us a hio; book instead of 

 a little one. Uncle Roy, to teach us all these things. 

 Olive and Rap have such a start of us. Dodo and I 

 don't know much of anything, and even what I thought 

 I knew about birds isn't very true." 



'' Don't be discouraged, my boy ; you do not need a 

 big book — a little one will do for the present. What 

 you need is patience, a pair of keen eyes, and a good 

 memor}^ With these and a little help from Olive, 

 Rap, and your old uncle, you can learn to know a 

 hundred kinds of every-day birds — those that can be 

 found easily, and have either the sweetest songs, the 

 gayest plumage, or the most interesting habits. Some 

 we shall find here in the lane and swamp meadow, or 

 by the river. Otliers have made their home in my 

 orchard for years. And I am going to put in the book 

 more than a hundred beautiful pictures for you and 

 Dodo, drawn so naturally that you can tell every one of 

 the birds by them, and that will make it easier for you 

 to understand what you read. 



" For some of the water birds Ave must go up to the 

 lake or in the summer make a trip over to the seashore. 

 How do you like that ? Yes, you too, Rap. 



