212 NATURE STUDY. 



So skilful were they, that a half hour elapsed before we 

 found the nest. We were so delighted at the prospect of 

 such aristocratic looking neighbors that we wanted to aid 

 in the house building, so we put out blue, red, pink, and 

 white string, and shredded hempen cord. Every scrap 

 was used irrespective of color, or kind. 



At the close of day the nest seemed to be finished. 

 This on Sunday, but then they were erratic cedar-birds. 

 But as a cat lived with us, we felt our limitations, and 

 only when the cat was not in the garden did we dare in- 

 spect the nest even with the opera glass. The nest, al- 

 though not more than twenty feet away, was entirely 

 screened from house-view by the leaves. The poor cat's 

 existence was now made miserable, for we hardly allowed 

 him to step his foot into the garden. 



The female bird would do a clever thing ; when leaving 

 the nest she slipped away on the side from the house, flew 

 to a neighboring elm ; there he brought her cherries and 

 other food. A few moments after, the brown tail would 

 again be seen, above the nest's rim ; we had watched most 

 carefully but hadn't seen her flight or arrival on the nest. 



No further secrecy, on their part, was possible when the 

 brood was hatched. One morning the four very trim but 

 plump birds seemed to so completely fill the nest, that we 

 all prophesied flight before night. One overgrown baby 

 fell out prematurely, and what to do, we didn't know ; we 

 feared the cat would see the bird if we tried to assist. So 

 we watched developments. Below the tree were geranium 

 plants, he clambered up one of the tallest of these ; then 

 he climbed the rough tree-bark, and by dint of occasional 

 breathings, reached the lowest branch. 



There he looked about in a panting condition, fluffed 

 himself up with pride, as if to say, " Well, I did it." Then 

 cocking his head on one side and looking at the depths 

 below, he seemed to shudder, and tottered on his weak 



