CHAPTER XVIII 



The Kingbird: Tyrdnnus Tyrdnnus 



IN ORCHARDS 



BOB found the nest of the King- 

 bird through seeing the father carry- 

 ing a small white moth to a branch 

 of the winesap in the Aspy orchard . 

 When I arrived the babies were, per- 

 haps, three days old. I did not feel 

 bad about this as I had in my nega- 

 tive closet in the Cabin a good repro- 

 duction of the most attractive King- 

 bird nest lever had seen. It was 

 built in a small walnut-tree on Bob's 

 lease. Besides being the neatest and 

 most firmly built of any Kingbird 

 nest of my experience it was deco- 

 rated. There was a liberal lining of wool gathered from fences, 

 the front of the nest deeply bordered with tufts of wool, part 

 from black sheep, the remainder from white; the finishing touch 

 being a knot and drapery of cotton cord, tucked into and looped 

 across the wool. 



In this dainty nest were three delicately coloured eggs, 

 although the number often runs to five, four the average. The 

 eggs are as beautiful as those of the Oriole. They are large, for 

 the size of the bird, rounder than is common, deep cream colour 

 quaintly touched with brownish markings as if painted on with 

 a brush; between them fainter decorations of grayish lavender. 



235 



FEMALE KINGBIRD WATCHING 

 CAMERA WHILE AT NEST 



