108 INSESSORES. | 
that she might hear him; but, seeing no appearance 
of her, he returned once more, visited the nest, ven- 
tured cautiously into the window, gazed about with 
suspicious looks, his voice sinking to a low, melan- 
choly note, as he stretched his little neck about in 
every direction. Returning to the box, he seemed 
for some minutes at a loss what to do, and soon after 
went off, as I thought, altogether; for I saw him no 
more that day. Toward the afternoon of the second 
day he again made his appearance, accompanied with 
a new female, who seemed exceedingly timorous and 
shy, and who, after great hesitation, entered the box. 
At this moment the little widower or bridegroom 
seemed as if he would warble out his very life with 
ecstacy of joy. After remaining about half a minute 
in, they botb flew off, but returned in a few minutes, 
and instantly began to carry out the eggs, feathers, 
and some of the sticks, supplying the place of the 
two latter with materials of the same sort, and ulti- 
mately succeeded in raising a brood of seven young, 
all of which escaped in safety. 
‘| ©Tts food is insects and caterpillars, and, while 
supplying the wants of its young, it destroys, on a 
moderate calculation, many hundreds a day, and 
greatly circumscribes the ravages of these vermin. 
It is a bold and insolent bird against those of the 
Titmouse and Woodpecker kind that venture to build 
within its jurisdiction ; attacking them without hesi- 
tation, though twice its size, and generally forcing 
them to decamp. I have known him to drive a pair 
of Swallows from their newly formed nest, and take 
