course of true love runs far from smoothly with 

 the birds. A pair of yellow-throated vireos built 

 no less than three nests one season and only suc- 

 ceeded in occupying the last. There were two 

 suitors for the affe&ion of the female, and they 

 fought continually. The rejected lover harassed 

 the pair while at work gathering material, and 

 that he twice stole a march on them and actually 

 tore down the nest appears from circumstantial 

 evidence. 



Great secrecy was observed in constructing the 

 third nest, and the rejected one no longer harassed 

 them. Either he had transferred his affe&ions or 

 been fairly vanquished. Life was strenuous and 

 impassioned with these little birds, but see what 

 constancy and perseverance ! Fancy having two 

 houses torn down, after completing them with 

 your own hands, and having the courage to build 

 still a third! There is something of the pioneer 

 and frontiersman in this. The offspring of this 

 pair were the children of vigorous and romantic 

 times, and should have inherited some heroic 

 traits. 



Even if all goes well otherwise, the sanctity of 

 the nest is liable to be profaned by the cowbird. 



36 



