PHASES OF BIRD LIFE. 17e 
which says plainly to the thrush, “ This is just the 
site for a nest.” In these crotches the wood-thrush 
rears her dwelling, its walls being firmly supported all 
around by the perpendicular branches. Do these 
saplings grow for the special benefit of the wood- 
thrush, or does the feathered artificer accommodate 
herself to the circumstances, or is there mutual 
adaptation between bird and bush? ‘That is a 
problem for the evolutionist. 
But the thrush often selects other sites for her 
nursery. One day I found a nest deftly placed on 
the point of intersection of two almost horizontal 
limbs. From the lower one several small branches 
grew up in an oblique direction, to give the walls of 
the mud cottage firm support. The intersecting 
boughs belonged to two different saplings. Another 
nest that did not have very strong external support 
was set down upon the short stub of a limb, which 
ran up into the mud floor and held the structure 
firmly in place. 
One day I stumbled upon a very tall thrush nest, 
looking almost like a tower in its, crotela.~ As; the 
nestlings had left, I lifted it from its place and tore 
it apart, thinking the thrush might have fallen upon 
the summer warbler’s ruse to outwit the cow-bunting 
by adding another story to her hut, thus leaving the 
bunting’s intruded egg in the cellar. But such was 
not the case; she had simply done the unorthodox 
thing of using an old nest, still in good condition, 
for a foundation upon which to rear the new structure. 
Will the theologians of thrushdom bring charges of 
