NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 



stood guard near but not on It, often going 

 down to it to look and admire if he thought 

 no one could see. In exactly thirteen days 

 I knew, by his absence from his usual post 

 and his new anxiety with regard to my visit, 

 that the first little one was hatched. For 

 almost the first time he scolded me, because 

 now there was something so beautiful and 

 wonderful in that tiny nest, he was sure I 

 would want it for my own. And truly 

 there was something beautiful and wonder- 

 ful, though only infinitesimal bits of naked 

 birdlings. Every part of the little bodies was 

 perfect in proportion ; even the small heads 

 were round and pretty, at least to one who 

 loves bird-babies. They were the smallest 

 nestlings I have seen except those of the 

 humming-bird. 



At the end of a week they had pin feathers 

 on wings and tail and down on head and 

 back. In another week the feathers were 

 fairly out, and the wee birds were the prettiest 

 things in the wood. They climbed up on 

 the edge of the nest and looked out into the 

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