THE NEST IN VIEW. 51 



From my post of observation, the thorn-tree 

 was silhouetted against the sky, for it stood on 

 the edge of a slight descent. Every twig and 

 leaf was distinctly visible, while the openings in 

 the foliage were so numerous that not a wing 

 could flit by without my seeing it. The nest 

 itself was partially veiled by a bunch of leaves. 

 What the view might be from the other side I 

 did not investigate that morning ; I preferred to 

 leave the birds the slight screen afforded by the 

 foliage, for since there could be no pretense of 

 hiding myself from them, my desire was to let 

 them fancy themselves hidden from me, and so 

 feel free from constraint and be natural in their 

 actions. I hoped, by approaching quietly .and 

 unobtrusively, by being careful never to frighten 

 or disturb them in any way, to convince them 

 that I was harmless, and to induce them to for- 

 get, or at least ignore, my silent presence. And 

 it seemed possible that I might be gratified, for 

 I had been seated but a few minutes when a 

 shrike flew up from the ground and entered the 

 nest, and, I was pleased to see, with no apparent 

 concern about me. 



For the next three hours I took my eyes off 

 the nest only to follow the movements of the 

 owners thereof ; and I learned that sitting had 

 begun, and that the brooding bird was fed by 

 her mate. He came, always from a distance, 



