54 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



birds whose parents build poor nests, or none at 

 all, gain the feathers in the egg, but those of us 

 who belong to the Brotherhood of Builders are 

 able to give our young warm lodgings, so they 

 are hatched naked and helpless, and gain their 

 strength and feathers in the nest." 



" What is the Brotherhood of Builders ? " asked 

 Tommy-Anne. 



" The history of it is the Oriole's story, and 

 I have not finished my own yet. To-morrow 

 when those eggs are hatched I shall be able to 

 go to my club, and in a few days all the members 

 will have gathered again." 



" Your club ? Do birds have clubs ? " 



" Certainly they do. Our club house is in 

 the belt of old cedar trees between your house 

 and the road." 



" Why do you go there when the little birds 

 are hatched ? I should think you would have to 

 stay at home and help feed them." 



" I do stay at home all day, but mother Robins 

 always insist upon putting their babies to sleep 

 themselves ; they say we men are in the way. 

 Then we meet together, the males of each com- 

 munity, or flock, by themselves, and choosing some 

 thick trees for shelter, we make a musical club, 

 gathering at dusk to sing our evensong, and 



