The Building of the Nest 85 



brought to consider that an interchange of 

 thought has taken place. The pair have 

 discussed, literally, the merits and drawbacks 

 of the situation, and have had in mind not 

 only their own safety, but that of their off- 

 spring. The faft that they make mistakes 

 at times proves this. Were this not the 

 case, or if nests were placed hap-hazard in 

 any tree or bush or anywhere on the ground, 

 bird enemies would have a happy time for a 

 short season, and then birds, like many of the 

 world's huge beasts, would become extinct. 

 On the contrary, birds have long since 

 learned to be very careful, and their ingenu- 

 ity in this apparently simpk matter of choos- 

 ing a nest site is really astonishing. This, 

 too, has resulted in quickening their wits in 

 all directions, and the bird that is really a 

 booby is scarcely to be found. 



Birds suffer at times from their misjudg- 

 ment or over-confidence, and this, it must be 

 added, reflects upon us. The instances are 

 numberless where birds have quickly learned 

 that certain people love them, and they lose 

 all fear. Again, naturally very timid birds 

 soon learn when they are free from persecu- 

 tion. The writer frequently passes in the 

 8 



