The Birds and Poets 219 



its cousin, the Baltimore, but, with the exception 

 of hair, it is always constructed of tough grass, 

 woven and platted like a straw hat, and the work 

 is so excellently done that some of the nests look 

 like they were made by a knitting machine. 

 Indeed, the ornithologist, Wilson, relates how a 

 woman of his acquaintance, when shown a nest 

 of this bird, enquired "if he thought it could be 

 taught to darn stockings." 



The hanging, gourd-shaped nest of the Balti- 

 more oriole is a familiar sight in winter as it 

 hangs tenaciously to the tip of some drooping 

 limb through winter winds and snows. 



The nest of the oven-bird is unique and unusual. 

 It is placed on the ground, made of coarse grass, 

 weed stalks, leaves, etc., and roofed over, with the 

 opening at the side. 



"Daintily the leaves he tiptoes; 

 Underneath them builds his oven, 

 Arched and framed with last year's oak leaves, 

 Roofed and walled against the rain drops." 



The nests of the wood pewee and the humming 

 bird are among the daintiest of all bird homes, 

 as well as the most difficult to find. Both resemble 

 lichen-covered knots, and are lined with the finest 

 down, "fine as the mother's softest plumes allow." 

 The ruby-throat sometimes weaves into the lichen 

 cover of its nest a bit of colored feather, thus 

 exhibiting, as claimed by some, a love for the 

 beautiful. The nests of the warblers, 



