THE BOBOLINK 79 



the midst of a broad meadow, where there was 

 no spear of grass, or flower, or growth unlike 

 another to mark its site. I judge that the bobo- 

 link escapes the dangers to which nesting birds 

 are liable as few or no other birds do. Unless the 

 mowers come along at an earlier date than she 

 has anticipated, that is, before July 1, or a skunk 

 goes nosing through the grass, which is un- 

 usual, she is as safe as bird well can be in 

 the great open of nature. She selects the most 

 monotonous and uniform place she can find 

 amid the daisies or the timothy and clover, and 

 places her simple structure upon the ground in 

 the midst of it. There is no concealment, 

 except as the great conceals the little, as the 

 desert conceals the pebble, as the myriad conceals 

 the unit. You may find the nest once, if your 

 course chances to lead you across it, and your 

 eye is quick enough to note the silent brown 

 bird as she darts swiftly away; but step three 

 paces in the wrong direction, and your search 

 will probably be fruitless. My friend and I found 

 a nest by accident one day, and then lost it again 

 one minute afterward. I moved away a few yards 

 to be sure of the mother bird, charging my friend 

 not to stir from his tracks. When I returned, he 

 had moved two paces, he said (he had really 

 moved four), and we spent a half-hour stooping 



