152 BIRDS' -NESTS. 



In the top of a tall tree, a short distance 

 farther on, I saw the nest of the red-tailed 

 hawk, a large mass of twigs and dry 

 sticks. The young had flown, but still lin- 

 gered in the vicinity, and, as I approached, 

 the mother bird flew about over me, squeal- 

 ing in a very angry, savage manner. Tufts 

 of the hair and other indigestible material 

 of the common meadow mouse lay around 

 on the ground beneath the nest. 



As I was about leaving the woods, my hat 

 almost brushed the nest of the red-eyed 

 vireo, which hung basket-like on the end of 

 a low, drooping branch of the beech. I 

 should never have seen it had the bird kept 

 her place. It contained three eggs of the 

 bird's own, and one of the cow-bunting. The 

 strange egg was only just perceptibly larger 

 than the others, yet three days after, when 

 I looked into the nest again and found all 

 but one egg hatched, the young interloper 

 was at least four times as large as either of 

 the others, and with such a superabundance 

 of bowels as to almost smother his bedfel- 

 lows beneath them. That the intruder should 

 fare the same as the rightful occupants, and 

 thrive with them, was more than ordinary 

 potluck ; but that it alone should thrive, 



