FAR AND NEAR 



grass ten or more yards away. " The nest is there," 

 I said, "and I must find it." So I walked straight 

 to the spot where the bird had vanished and scru- 

 tinized the ground closely. Not seeing the object 

 of my search, I dropped my handkerchief upon 

 the grass, and began walking cautiously about it 

 in circles, covering more and more ground, and 

 scanning closely every foot of the meadow-bottom. 

 Suddenly, when I was four or five yards from my 

 handkerchief, a little dark-brown bird fluttered out 

 almost from under my feet, and the pretty secret 

 was mine. 



The nest, made of dry grass and a few hairs, was 

 sunk into the ground, — into the great, brownish- 

 gray, undistinguished meadow surface, — and held 

 four speckled eggs. The mother bird fluttered 

 through the grass, and tried, by feigning disable- 

 ment, to lure me away from the spot. I had noticed 

 that the male had ceased singing as soon as I be- 

 gan my search, and had showed much uneasiness. 

 He now joined the female, and two more agitated 

 birds I had never seen. The actions of this bird 

 are quick and nervous at all times ; now they be- 

 came almost frenzied. But I quickly withdrew, and 

 concealed myself behind the fence. After a brief 

 consultation the birds withdrew also, and it was 

 nearly a half-hour before they returned. Then the 

 mother bird, after much feigning and flitting ner- 

 vously about, dropped into the grass several yards 



170 



