WHAT I HAVE DONE WITH BIRDS 



trains a pair of birds by setting up three sticks for a tripod, using 

 a soap box for a camera and an old coat for a focusing cloth, 

 until by the time I reach them they are neither man-shy nor 

 camera-shy. His leases are covered with Martin and Bluebird 

 boxes, shy forest birds build close to his power-houses and in the 

 very trees under which his hammock swings. 



Bob passed the Shrike corner on the way between two wells, 

 and he told me of the enterprise in the apple-tree. There was no 

 other tree near it. Four lines of old snake fences, bearing their 

 usual load of treasures, crept to a meeting under its friendly 

 boughs. Above it was a clear broad sweep of summer sky, across 

 which birds from the woods constantly trailed in a broken line of 

 flight to bathe and hunt food at the river. Beneath it Stanley's 

 sleek herd, with the beringed ears denoting beasts of high degree, 

 chewed their cuds, switched flies and welcomed the ministrations 

 of a large flock of Cow-birds. 



Subjects were located in each of those four fields. In one, 

 under an arch of growing wheat, I had made a study of a Lark's 

 beautiful nest and was waiting for the young to hatch. Through 

 the adjoining clover-field Bob and I hunted ceaselessly for the 

 nest of a Bobolink, which strutted the rod-line, playing the clown 

 and pouring out a lilting melody that at times seemed especially 

 improvised to mock our unavailing efforts to find his home. 



At any rate the search was a delight, for the perfume of 

 clover was heavy on the air, the drowsy hum of big bumblebees, 

 staggering on wing with loads of gold, was a lulling sound ; sing- 

 ing grasshoppers, beautifully colored and striped, feasted here; 

 satin-winged butterflies wavered over the field and the Bobolink 

 swung on the rod-line and strained his throat to produce notes 

 sufficiently sweet to tell it all to the brooding mate we were seek- 

 ing. 



Once this search for the Bobolink became a terror. Early in 



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