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14 EVERYDAY BIRDS 



After the young ones are hatched, at all events, 

 the father bird's behavior leaves nothing to be 

 complained of. He " comes to time," as we say, 

 in the most loyal manner. In and out of the 

 nest he and the mother go, feeding their hungry 

 charges, making their entry and exit always at 

 the same point, through the merest crack of a 

 door, between the overhanging bark and the tree, 

 just above the nest. It is a very pretty bit of 

 family life. 



It would be hard to imagine a nest better con- 

 cealed from a bird's natural enemies, especially 

 when, as is often the case, the tree stands in 

 water on the edge of a stream or lake. And 

 not only is the nest wonderfully well hidden, but 

 it is perfectly sheltered from rain, as it would not 

 be if it were built under a strip of bark that was 

 peeled from above. All in all, we must respect 

 the simple, demure-looking creeper as a very 

 clever architect. 



