THE BUILDING OF THE NEST. 



Know'st thou what wove yon woodbird's nest 



Of leaves, and feathers from her breast ? EMERSON. 



MAY and June are the nesting months. Some impatient 

 Bluebirds and Robins begin in April, and the lonely Owls 

 and larger Hawks breed even in February and March, while, 

 on the other hand, the Goldfinches and Cedar Waxwings 

 wait until July ; and other birds, who raise several broods 

 in a season, like the Robins, Sparrows, Swallows, and Wrens, 

 continue laying through July and straggle into August, but 

 the universal song and nesting belong to May and June. 



In early May the singing is wildly spontaneous, the birds 

 are unguarded in their movements and constantly show 

 themselves ; but when they have mated, a sense of responsi- 

 bility comes over the gay minstrels, and they become more 

 wary. The soberly clad wife cautions secrecy ; there is so 

 much to discuss that must be whispered only in the echo- 

 less depths of the branches, for the great question of the 

 season, the location of the nest, is to be settled, and quickly, 

 too. 



There are many things that the bird couple have to con- 

 sider : the home must be within convenient distance of the 

 proper food supply; there must be some protection from 

 sun and rain, even if it is only a few leaves, or a tuft of 

 grass ; and then loom up the enemies to be avoided, birds 

 of prey, squirrels, snakes, and man. Of the four, the birds 

 seem to dread man the least, and are constantly appealing 

 to him, and taking him into their confidence as a protector 

 against the others. Poor little birds ! they do not realize 

 that man with all his higher intelligence is really the most 

 relentless of all. The other enemies kill for food only, man 

 kills for food casually, for decorative feathers wantonly, and 

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