THE CEDAR-BIED 



How alert and vigilant the birds are, even when 

 absorbed in building their nests! In an open 

 space in the woods I see a pair of cedar-birds 

 collecting moss from the top of a dead tree. Fol- 

 lowing the direction in which they fly, I soon 

 discover the nest placed in the fork of a small 

 soft maple, which stands amid a thick growth of 

 wild cherry-trees and young beeches. Carefully 

 concealing myself beneath it, without any fear 

 that the workmen will hit me with a chip or let 

 fall a tool, I await the return of the busy pair. 

 Presently I hear the well-known note, and the 

 female sweeps down and settles unsuspectingly 

 into the half -finished structure. Hardly have her 

 wings rested before her eye has penetrated my 

 screen, and with a hurried movement of alarm 

 she darts away. In a moment the male, with a 

 tuft of wool in his beak (for there is a sheep pas- 

 ture near), joins her, and the two reconnoitre 

 the premises from the surrounding bushes. With 

 their beaks still loaded, they flit round with a 

 frightened look, and refuse to approach the 

 nest till I have moved off and lain down behind 

 a log. Then one of them ventures to alight upon 



