Song Birds and Water Fowl 
nite zest to every annual return of this, their 
period of exceeding joy, the time of their 
greatest hope, activity, and realization of their 
life. 
Nest and eggs are the two distinct factors in 
nidification, the interest in which is too apt to 
be monopolized by the eggs. The minute size, 
the elegant form so unique and graceful, the 
beautifully varied coloring, and, above all, the 
mysterious life-potency of an egg, invest it with 
the deeper interest that is reasonably felt for the 
gem, rather than for the casket that contains 
it. In many ways it is certainly the more im- 
portant of the two; yet, in one respect—in the 
evidence of individuality, conscious exertion, 
and intelligence of the creature that fabricates 
it—the nest is a far more interesting and sug- 
gestive study. Moreover, the collecting of eggs 
involves in some cases an abstraction of just so 
much possible and valuable life from the fields 
and woods; although, if it be not too late in 
the season, Nature commonly recoups her losses 
by producing an additional clutch. But, even 
so, the collector, unless he be a hardened natur- 
alist, has a mean and uncomfortable feeling of 
having done violence to the innocent creatures ; 
so that such spoliation is to be strongly depre- 
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