WITH THE THICKET BIRDS 129 



her spurious egg! Soon another grackle pair 

 completed their big domicile; and next a turtle 

 dove was found sitting close upon a shapeless 

 last year's robin's nest, up in a crotch of the big 

 black poplar, just back of the tent. For it 

 must be admitted that the dove, though gentle 

 and devoted, is a slattern at nest-building and is 

 content to lay her eggs and rear her young upon 

 the most rickety of twig-platforms, or on a 

 stump, or even on the ground. 



But there was another nest somewhere near 

 that was not so easily located. It was a moral 

 certainty that within a radius of fifty yards, 

 Madam Thrasher was brooding also. But 

 where? True, her spouse never sang very near; 

 but that is a characteristic trick of these shy 

 birds; and the fact that the big ruddy male is 

 pouring out his song from a tree-top here or 

 there never means very much as a clue to the 

 location of the nest. Never the slightest hint 

 was given, and when the nest was discovered 

 a boy scout stumbled upon it Madame was al- 

 ready sitting tight upon her treasures. The 

 nest was located but thirty yards from the tent. 

 It was along the edge of the wood, in the heart 

 of a thick clump of willows, and built not more 



