Nest-Building 149 



o'clock in the afternoon, the rain which was slowly falling 

 promised well for the work of those builders, for whom wet 

 weather is a direct advantage and they are seldom slow to 

 profit by it. At this time a few wisps of dead grass lay on the 

 horizontal crotch of an apple tree which they had chosen, and 

 which I was permitted to survey at a distance of eight or ten 

 feet. The actions at this critical stage are worthy of the closest 

 attention, for they give us the key to much of the later con- 

 duct, and as I believe to the essential nature of the actions 

 performed. 



It is important to notice that on the first day both cock and 

 hen had an equal share in the building operations, but each 

 worked silently and alone, in perfect freedom and independ- 

 ence. It was impossible for one to observe and therefore 

 to imitate the other, yet their actions were in perfect accord. 

 Indeed so rapid and decisive were all their movements, and so 

 stereotyped and similar were all their acts, it was impossible to 

 decide which bird was engaged unless a paler or more deeply 

 colored breast was presented to view. 



The materials were gathered from the ground, from far and 

 near, and consisted of the usual substances, dead grass, 

 often pulled up by the roots, with the adherent earth, weed- 

 stems, and yarn which I had strewn over the ground. They 

 would sometimes try different objects, rejecting this straw or 

 selecting that weed, and, gathering a full load or as often a 

 ridiculously small quantity, fly straight to their tree, drop their 

 burden, and set briskly to work. As much energy was ex- 

 pended over a few spears of grass as over a larger quantity, and 

 their actions whether necessary or not were the same. They 

 settled upon the first straws and with swaying body, beating 

 wings, and vibrating tail, tended at first to scatter rather than 

 to mold the scant materials. Though as much often fell to the 

 ground as stuck to the limb, such losses were disregarded. 

 Again the bird would turn about, and beat the handful of un- 

 yielding weed-stems with the wrists of her wings, or with the 

 bill draw them under the breast, settle down upon them and 

 shake as if in an ague-fit, attempting to use the breast as a 



