WHAT I HAVE DONE WITH BIRDS 



oak bench outside the glass for a perch and three inches of snow 

 in the distance on railing and fence. 



And still he awaited the coming of spring and his kind, and 

 no mate came. One night the Killdeers struck the Limberlost at 

 two o'clock; the next the Larks, and a few days later came the 

 Robins, and again our bird went courting. For two days we 

 missed him, and were growing more anxious than any one who 

 has not had a like experience could believe possible ; then he came 

 home, and what a bird he brought with him! He was so proud he 

 almost perched on my head as he swept the length of the veranda 

 calling me. I turned to welcome him and there was his mate. 



She was almost his size, sprucely dressed and, thank heaven! 

 open to conviction. I could see it in her big, wise eyes, the alert 

 poise of her head and her willingness to follow his choice. Be- 

 fore the day was over she was helping carry twigs to the wistaria,' 

 and in an incredibly short time she was brooding, and Robin was 

 back on the bench looking in the window. He seemed content 

 and happy as a bird could be. I guarded faithfully with him, no 

 accident befell the nest, and its brood got off safely. Then 

 they changed to a hickory in a little grove by the back porch and 

 nested again. That nest and its babies were so beautiful I had 

 to make some pictures of it. Mother Robin seemed uneasy, but 

 he paid no attention whatever while I worked. 



They stayed late that fall, and the next spring came early as 

 usual and together. Again they built in the wistaria, using the 

 old nest for a foundation, and again they brought out a full 

 brood. For a second nesting they chose the top of the martin box 

 on the windmill and I think they were sorry, for the sparrows tor- 

 mented them constantly. That year Robin seemed a little slug- 

 gish in his flight, he sang much less and with nothing like his first 

 spirit and inflection. And no wonder! For five years the pre- 

 cious bird had homed with us. All the care we could give him 



