54 HOME LIFE OF THE REDSTART. 



work as it had been to observe the movements of 

 the pair, it was much harder after that, they be- 

 came at once so wary. I am sure they never 

 regarded me in any way as a spy, for I was not 

 in their highway; moreover, they would cer- 

 tainly have expressed their mind if they had. 

 Yet they came and went entirely from the other 

 side, and so exactly opposite the nest that often 

 I could not see even the flit of a wing. Not 

 until one stood on the threshold could I see it, 

 and the most untiring vigilance was necessary. 

 Even before this madame was cautious in her 

 going and coming; she first dropped about two 

 feet to a branch, paused a moment, then went to 

 a second one, still lower, thus left the tree near 

 the ground, and in returning she began at the 

 lowest branch and retraced her steps to the nest. 



That day the father of the new family seemed 

 very joyous, and treated us to a great deal of 

 singing, though it was not a singing-day, being 

 very cold, with a steady rain. The pretty little 

 mother took thoughtful care of her brood. For 

 a half hour or more she worked very busily, her 

 mate helping, and fed them well; then she de- 

 liberately sat down upon those youngsters, ex- 

 actly as though they were still eggs. There she 

 stayed as long as she thought best, and then she 

 went to her work again. 



The morning they were six days old I had the 



