THE LEAST BITTERN 75 



After circling about us several times she climbed 

 to her nest, and at once proceeded to investigate the 

 condition of its contents. Soon she gave evidence of 

 the possession of both a philosophic and economic 

 disposition, not to mention other housewifely quali- 

 ties, notably cleanliness. Philosophy she exhibited 

 by making the best of things as she found them ; 

 economy by carefully eating 36 the two broken eggs, 

 which a more thoughtless bird would have deserted 

 or quickly discarded; and cleanliness by carefully 

 dropping over the edge of the nest the shells remain- 

 ing from her peculiar feast, and following them by 

 bits of nest lining which had been soiled by portions 

 of the egg. This task accomplished to her satisfac- 

 tion, she gave further evidence of the possession of 

 a well-ordered mind by descending to the water, 

 washing her bill, drinking, and then returning to 

 her remaining three eggs, on which she settled 

 herself 37 as complacently as though she had met 

 with no loss, and there we left her in well-deserved 

 privacy. 



