NESTLINGS OF. FOREST AND MARSH 
necktie nest were stolen by a blue jay one by 
one, while the other little ones were success- 
fully reared to adult oriole-hood, — not, 
however, without great vigilance on the 
part of the father. I had supposed him to 
be remarkably amiable, but now he was a 
veritable Thibetan guarding his sacred city. 
Harsh scolding notes mingled with his sweet 
music all day long, and any intrusion by 
man or bird was greeted with a volley of 
chucks so sharp and so rapidly exploded as 
to remind one of fire-crackers under a tin 
pan. 
When we judged there might be eggs, the 
Man with the Camera climbed the oak-tree, 
and by a skilful use of twine bent the branch 
so that he could look into it. Five white 
eggs marked with black lay there. Ten 
days later he looked again, and four little 
mouths were stretched up for food. A week 
later they appeared over the top of the nest, 
reaching up one at a time, and then quickly 
disappearing as the mother was heard scold- 
ing on her way home. 
104 
