THE BROWN THRASHER 45 



came to grief. Then, after some delay, the mo- 

 ther bird made a bold stroke. She seemed to 

 reason with herself thus : " Since I have fared so 

 disastrously in seeking seclusion for my nest, I 

 will now adopt the opposite tactics, and come 

 out fairly in the open. What hides me hides my 

 enemies: let us try greater publicity." So she 

 came out and built her nest by a few small shoots 

 that grew beside the path that divides the two 

 vineyards, and where we passed to and fro many 

 times daily. I discovered her by chance early in 

 the morning as I proceeded to my work. She 

 started up at my feet and flitted quickly along 

 above the ploughed ground, almost as red as the 

 soil. I admired her audacity. Surely no prowler 

 by night or day would suspect a nest in this open 

 and exposed place. There was no cover by which 

 they could approach, and no concealment any- 

 where. The nest was a hasty affair, as if the 

 birds' patience at nest-building had been about 

 exhausted. Presently an egg appeared, and then 

 the next day another, and on the fourth day a 

 third. No doubt the bird would have succeeded 

 this time had not man interfered. In cultivating 

 the vineyards the horse and cultivator had to 

 pass over this very spot. Upon this the bird had 

 not calculated. I determined to assist her. I 

 called my man, and told him there was one spot 



