THE KILLDEER NEST 



CHAPTER V 

 The Killdeer: Oocyechus Vociferus 



ON THE GROUND 



"John has a nest for you," said a sweet- faced country woman, 

 as she poured my second glass of buttermilk. 



So many wonderful things come to me in just that simple 

 way and my heart always gives the same old thump of delightful 

 anticipation. 



"Did he say what kind?" I questioned eagerly. 



"He thinks it's one of these killdeer-crying birds. It flew up 

 right under the horses' noses and he had to pull back hard on them 

 to save the nest. It's in the east corn-field, where he is working. 

 He plowed around it and drove a stake to mark the place for you. 

 There's four eggs and she's gone back to them." 



I thought intently for a moment. "One of these killdeer- 

 crying birds." I could not remember having seen a study of the 



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