BIRDS'-NESTS 95 



one who thoroughly knew her mind, she was pro- 

 ceeding to take it. Finally the site was chosen 

 upon a high branch, extending over one low wing 

 of the house. Mutual congratulations and caresses 

 followed, when both birds flew away in quest of 

 building material. That most freely used is a sort 

 of cotton-bearing plant which grows in old worn- 

 out fields. The nest is large for the size of the 

 bird, and very soft. It is in every respect a first- 

 class domicile. 



On another occasion, while walking or rather 

 sauntering in the woods (for I have discovered that 

 one cannot run and read the book of nature), my 

 attention was arrested by a dull hammering, evi- 

 dently but a few rods off. I said to myself, " Some 

 one is building a house." From what I had pre- 

 viously seen, I suspected the builder to be a red- 

 headed woodpecker in the top of a dead oak stub 

 near by. Moving cautiously in that direction, I 

 perceived a round hole, about the size of that made 

 by an inch-and-a-half auger, near the top of the 

 decayed trunk, and the white chips of the workman 

 strewing the ground beneath. When but a few 

 paces from the tree, my foot pressed upon a dry 

 twig, which gave forth a very slight snap. In- 

 stantly the hammering ceased, and a scarlet head 

 appeared at the door. Though I remained perfectly 

 motionless, forbearing even to wink till my eyes 

 smarted, the bird refused to go on with his work, 

 but flew quietly off to a neighboring tree. What 

 surprised me was, that, amid his busy occupation 



