THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 



Taking a tripod I drove east to the Aspy farm at once. It was 

 about seven o'clock in the evening. 



The old cabin around which a brood of rosy, happy children 

 once romped now stood doorless, windowless, floorless and de- 

 serted, just across the road from the orchard where so many 

 highly-prized studies had been obtained, and beside the open, 

 sunny clover field of the Bobolink. What once had been a front 

 yard that was a gentle little woman's pride and care now answered 

 no description save thicket. A big cottonwood in one corner had 

 thrown up a thousand rank sprouts; so had cherry, peach and 

 plum trees. Cabbage and bride roses had spread to masses; 

 honeysuckle, creeper and grape-vines clambered everywhere, and 

 striped grass and day lilies filled in the interstices. 



The path Bob traveled to water his horse was worn smooth 

 and following it around the bushes to the well I could see a new 

 trail leading through knee-deep grass between the thicket and the 

 cabin. A few steps brought me in sight of the nest. The location 

 was even lower than I remembered it, and while the plum-tree 

 really belonged to the thicket it stood on the very edge next the 

 clover field and the cabin. The clipping of three little twigs 

 would be all that was necessary to get the best light there could be 

 on the beautiful brooding bird. 



She was of the black bill variety and the instant she saw me 

 I paused and waited a long time. Then slowly, and with greater 

 caution than I ever before used, I advanced until I stood at the 

 place where Bob's trail stopped. There the tripod was cautiously 

 set up. Then slipping off a long gray cravenette, rolling it up and 

 placing it as I would a camera I went through every motion neces- 

 sary in making a study of her. She watched me steadily, but 

 never moved. Had I brought a camera, had light, and the inter- 

 vening twigs removed, she could have been photographed then. 

 A little clipping was imperative, and thinking it over I decided 



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