THE TRAGEDIES OF THE NESTS. 27 



But in this case there was no perch for the male bird, 

 bad he been disposed to make a sunshade of himself. 

 I thought to lend a hand in this direction myself, 

 and so stuck a leafy twig beside the nest. This was 

 probably an unwise interference ; it guided disaster 

 to the spot ; the nest was broken up, and the mother- 

 bird was probably caught, as I never saw her after- 

 ward. 



For several previous summers a pair of kingbirds 

 fiad reared, unmolested, a brood of young in an ap- 

 ple-tree, only a few yards from the house ; but dur- 

 ing this season disaster overtook them also. The 

 nest was completed, the eggs laid, and incubation had 

 just begun, when, one morning about sunrise, I heard 

 loud cries of distress and alarm proceed from the old 

 apple-tree. Looking out of the window I saw a crow t 

 which I knew to be a fish-crow, perched upon the 

 edge of the nest, hastily bolting the eggs. The parent 

 birds, usually so ready for the attack, seemed over- 

 come with grief and alarm. They fluttered about in 

 the most helpless and bewildered manner, and it was 

 not till the robber fled on my approach that they 

 recovered themselves and charged upon him. The 

 crow scurried away with upturned, threatening head, 

 the furious kingbirds fairly upon his back. The pair- 

 lingered around their desecrated nest for several days, 

 almost silent, and saddened by their loss, and then 

 disappeared. They probably made another trial else- 

 where. 



: The fish-crow only fishes when it has destroyed 

 all the eggs and young birds it can find. It is the 

 most despicable thief and robber among our feathered 

 creatures. From May to August it is gorged with the 

 fledgelings of the nest. It is fortunate that its range 



