ACROSS THE PLAINS 



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near the nest, and when I went into hiding behind 

 a packing case, it flew over again and again, express- 

 ing its opinion of impertinent intruders in an 

 unmistakable manner. Neither bird would visit the 

 nest for awhile, but, at length, the female alighted on 

 the edge of the coil of netting, and the camera shutter 



WHITE - BROWED WOOD - SWALLOW AT NEST 



clicked. The bird shot into the air like an arrow, 

 but soon returned. It was a scorching day, and the 

 nestlings suffered from the heat, as the mother bird 

 perceived, for she spread her wings above the nest 

 and vibrated them, at once giving shade and causing 

 an air current. She panted herself, poor bird. \ 

 had to change my quarters before I could photograph 

 the male bird. When it was away at the end of the 

 yard I slipped across the open into a shed. The 

 bird, with a small grasshopper in its beak, came 



