The Cedar-Bird 93 



came nearer. Then both would alight on the nest-rim, and 

 stand there a moment like statuettes with heads erect. After 

 regurgitating the food and distributing it, they keenly eye 

 everything in the nest, snap up the excreta from each bird in 

 turn, swallow it, and are off. The young sat or stood on the 

 nest with heads up and all pointed one way. Presently, every 

 black bead-like eye was alert; four scarlet-orange mouths 

 opened at the same moment, and four necks were stretched 

 now to this side, now to that, whence came the least sound. 

 When their parents actually approached with their low-whis- 

 pered call, they would huddle together and stretch their legs, 

 wings, and whole bodies to the utmost. Then would arise such 

 a chorus of supplicating cries as no parent could resist. Touch 

 but a twig and the nest presents an even livelier spectacle. 

 The young fairly tumble over each other, while their wings, 

 heads, and bodies vibrate with an intensity of desire which 

 their eager voices can only feebly express. Two days ago 

 these young lay quietly in their nest, and when touched showed 

 absolutely no fear, but to-day the instinct of fear had possessed 

 them, and when approached, all hopped off the nest and hid in 

 the grass. 



The Cedar-bird will pant with mouth agape when uncom- 

 fortably warm, but is never seen to erect the feathers generally, 

 as many birds do in order to keep cool. 



While watching this nest, one day in July, I happened to see 

 a Cedar-bird tugging at the frayed ends of a cord which had been 

 fastened to a branch of one of the fir trees, close by our house. 

 Taking the hint, I placed a quantity of red and blue yarn on 

 the branches, and on some bean poles near the nesting site. 

 Every thread was taken from the fir and worked into what 

 became a very gay mansion. It was placed on a spreading 

 apple bough, at a fork in the limb and between upright shoots, 

 fifteen feet from the ground. The blue yarn was in excess of 

 the red, but I am sure that this meant nothing to the birds. 

 They simply took what was provided, and had all been red it 

 would have been accepted. 



These birds were most expeditious, for in two days the last 



