300 TALKS WITH YOUNG OBSERVERS 



tempt to explain what you do know, and you 

 already know something more." Bring what 

 powers of observation you already have to bear 

 upon animate nature, and already your powers 

 are increased. You can double your capital 

 and more in a single season. 



The first among the less common birds which 

 I identified when I began the study of orni- 

 thology was the red-eyed vireo, the little gray 

 t)ird with a line over its eye that moves about 

 with its incessant cheerful warble all day, rain 

 or shine, among the trees, and it so fired my 

 enthusiasm that before the end of the season 

 I had added a dozen or more (to me) new birds 

 to my list. After a while the eye and ear be- 

 come so sensitive and alert that they seem to 

 see and hear of themselves, and like sleepless 

 sentinels report to you whatever comes within 

 their range. Driving briskly along the road 

 the other day, I saw a phoebe-bird building her 

 nest under a cliff of rocks. I had but a glimpse, 

 probably two seconds, through an opening in the 

 trees, but it was long enough for my eye to 

 take in the whole situation: the gray wall of 

 rock, the flitting form of the bird and the half- 

 finished nest into which the builder settled. 

 Yesterday, May 7, I went out for an hour's 

 walk looking for birds' nests. I made a tour 

 of some orchards, pastures and meadows, but 

 found nothing, and then came home and found 

 a blue- jay's nest by my very door. How did I 

 find it? In the first place my mind was in- 

 tent upon nest finding: I was ripe for a bird's 



