BIKDS'-NESTS. 105 



take it. Finally the site was chosen upon a high branch, 

 extending over one low wing of the house. Mutual con- 

 gratulations and caresses followed, when both birds flew 

 away in quest of building material. That most freely 

 used is a sort of cotton-bearing plant, which grows in 

 old worn-out fields. The nest is large for the size of 

 the bird, and very soft. It is in every respect a first- 

 class domicile. 



On another occasion, while walking or rather saun- 

 tering in the woods (for I have discovered that one 

 cannot run and read the book of nature), my attention 

 was arrested by a dull hammering, evidently but a few 

 rods off. I said to myself, " Some one is building a 

 house." From what I had previously seen, I suspected 

 the builder to be a red-headed woodpecker in the top 

 of a dead oak stub near by. Moving cautiously in that 

 direction, I perceived a round hole, about the size of 

 that made by an inch-and-a-half auger, near the top of 

 the decayed trunk, and the white chips of the workman 

 strewing the ground beneath. When but a few paces 

 from the tree, my foot pressed upon a dry twig, which 

 gave forth a very slight snap. Instantly the hammer- 

 ing ceased, and a scarlet head appeared at the door. 

 Though I remained perfectly motionless, forbearing 

 even to wink till my eyes smarted, the bird refused to 

 go on with his work, but flew quietly off to a neighbor- 

 ing tree. What surprised me was, that amid his busy 

 occupation down in the heart of the old tree, he should 

 have been so alert and watchful as to catch the slight- 

 est sound from without. 



