9 6 



STARLIGHT AND SUNSHINE. 



curious pains for enlightenment as to the 

 editorial discrimination of these nests, 

 and considering the popular name 

 which Wilson Flagg has bestowed 

 upon the bird, "the Preacher," 

 from its well-known habit of 

 launching precepts by the hour 

 from its tree-top pulpit the 

 text from my nest would cer- 

 tainly seem to reinforce his 

 happy title. In this nest are 

 about six pieces of newspaper, 

 of various jagged shapes and 

 sizes ; but among them all 

 the only complete sen- 

 tence anywhere to be 

 discovered in the print 

 and this appearing as 

 though obviously treas- 

 ured is the follow- 

 ing : "Have in view 

 the will of God." 

 And yet I 

 suppose there 

 are those who 

 would affirm that 

 this selection was a 

 matter in which the voli- 

 tion of the bird had no part 

 whatever ! 



It has always been a 

 favorite pastime with me, 

 in my autumn walks, this 

 dissecting of abandoned nests of all kinds, then disclosed to view 

 in the denuded woods this unravelling of the warp and woof 

 of these nature-woven fabrics, extracting the secrets of the downy 





