32 OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



summer clothes, the Naturalist trembled every 

 time he saw a neighbor passing that way. It 

 was so big that it could be seen from a long dis- 

 tance. Few people have, as yet, learned to look 

 up, and not down, and the nest escaped detec- 

 tion. As days passed and the trees put forth 

 their leaves, even the Naturalist sometimes 

 had to look a little while to find it, and he no 

 longer feared for the safety of the big birds. 



The Naturalist did not wish to cause the 

 birds any unnecessary alarm and he refrained 

 from an examination of the nest until Mrs. 

 Red-tail had begun to incubate the eggs. He 

 felt that there was no longer any danger that 

 they would voluntarily desert after this time. 

 The nest was fifty feet from the ground, and 

 the tree was straight and smooth and had few 

 branches. The Naturalist did not find it an 

 easy climb, as he must needs stop to rest and 

 catch his breath at every branch which would 

 support his weight. When Mrs. Red-tail saw 

 him coming, she slipped quietly away and 

 hastily disappeared. Soon she had joined her 

 mate, and together they circled high overhead, 

 with great evident anxiety as to the purpose of 

 the Naturalist's visit. 



When at last the nest was reached, it was 



