UNDER THE MAPLES 



selves, we did not know; they never again appeared 

 upon the scene. Finally, on the morning of the 

 Fourth of July, the foundation of a new nest was 

 started in the syringa-bush three feet from the 

 ground, and barely four feet from the window! 



We had a view of the proceedings that the first 

 site did not afford us. The old nest appeared to be 

 in perfect condition, but there was evidently no 

 thought with the birds of using it again, as the 

 robins sometimes do, and as bluebirds and cliff 

 swallows always do. A new nest, built of material 

 almost identical with that of the old, and in a more 

 exposed position, was decided upon. It progressed 

 rapidly, and I was delighted to find that the male 

 assisted in the building. Indeed, he was fully as 

 active as the female. Very often they were both 

 in the nest with material at the same moment. 

 They seemed to agree perfectly. At first I got the 

 impression that the male was not quite as decided 

 as the female, and hesitated more, once or twice 

 bringing material that he finally rejected. But he 

 soon warmed up to the work and certainly did his 

 share. 



With most species of our birds the nest is en- 

 tirely built by the female. With the robin, the 

 wood thrush, the phoebe, the oriole, the humming- 

 bird, the pewee, and many others, the male is only 

 an interested spectator of the proceeding. He 

 usually attends his mate in her quest for material, 



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