704 NATTRAMST'S CABINET. 



Trimming the nests. 



UK: places where they were themselves hatched, 

 they prepare to propagate a future progeny. 



" They keep together in pairs; and when the 

 offices of courtship are over, they prepare for 

 making their nests ami laying. The old inhabi- 

 tants of the place are all already provided ; the 

 nest which served them for years before, with a 

 Jittle trimming and dressing, will serve very well 

 again; the difficulty of building lies only upon 

 the young ones who have no nest, and must 

 therefore get up one as well as they can. But 

 not only the materials are wanting, but also the 

 place in which to fix it. Every part of a tree 

 vrill not do for this purpose, as some branches 

 may not be sufficiently forked, others may not 

 be sufficiently strong; and still others may be 

 too much exposed to the rockings of the wind. 

 The male and female upon this occasion are, 

 for some days, seen examining all the trees 

 of the grove very attentively; and when they 

 have fixed upon a branch that seems fit for their 

 purpose, they continue to sit upon, and observe 

 it. very sedulously for two or three days longer. 

 The place being thus determined upon, they 

 begin to gather the materials for their nest; such 

 as sticks and fibrous roots, which they regularly 

 dispose in the most substantial manner. But 

 here a new and unexpected obstacle arises. It 

 often happens that the young couple have made 

 choice of a place too near the mansion of an older 

 pair, who do not chuse to be incommoded by 



