A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



caught him in the act, and flew at him in 

 a great rage. I put my hand on the nest 

 and she pecked my finger and scolded me 

 roundly. After two hours' hard work, she 

 was coaxed away by her mate and I returned 

 to my writing. Day by day I watched the 

 nest building until it was finished, seven days 

 after it was begun. It was lined with horse- 

 hair. The little bird spent most of the 

 seventh day in shaping the nest. She would 

 turn about, pressing the sides of the nest with 

 her breast, until the whole nest was made 

 firm and as round as an apple. The nest was 

 deserted for three days before the first egg was 

 laid. Four eggs, the usual number, were 

 laid, and then I found the mother bird on the 

 nest toward sunset. For the next three days 

 she did what all chestnut-sided warblers do, 

 sit on the nest nights and roam about through 

 the day. After this I always found her on 

 the nest until the little ones were out. I 

 made up my mind to tame these young birds 

 so they would come at my call. I bred some 



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