84 BIRD STORIES FROM BURROUGHS 



has none of these underbred traits. He regards 

 me unsuspiciously, or avoids me with a noble re- 

 serve or, if I am quiet and incurious, gra- 

 ciously hops toward me, as if to pay his respects, 

 or to make my acquaintance. I have passed under 

 his nest within a few feet of his mate and brood, 

 when he sat near by on a branch eying me 

 sharply, but without opening his beak ; but the 

 moment I raised my hand toward his defenseless 

 household his anger and indignation were beauti- 

 ful to behold. 



What a noble pride he has ! Late one October, 

 after his mates and companions had long since 

 gone South, I noticed one for several successive 

 days in the dense part of this next-door wood, 

 flitting noiselessly about, very grave and silent, 

 as if doing penance for some violation of the code 

 of honor. By many gentle, indirect approaches, I 

 perceived that part of his tail-feathers were un- 

 developed. The sylvan prince could not think of 

 returning to court in this plight, and so, amid 

 the falling leaves and cold rains of autumn, was 

 patiently biding his time. 



It is a curious habit the wood thrush has of 

 starting its nest with a fragment of newspaper or 

 other paper. Except in remote woods, I think it 

 nearly always puts a piece of paper in the founda- 

 tion of its nest. Last spring I chanced to be sitting 



