The Humming Bird. 69 



" Have you ever seen a humming bird's nest ? " 

 asked Alice. 



"Yes," said John, "last summer two humming 

 birds had a nest in that tree." 



" Please tell us all about it," said Alice. 



" Well, the nest was a little fairy cradle, about 

 half the size of a hen's egg and as soft as cotton. 

 It was made of soft moss and lined with the down 

 of the young fern and soft cotton fibers. The father 

 bird brought the materials for the nest, and the 

 mother bird arranged them. 



" When I found the nest, it had two little eggs in 

 it. Each was a trifle larger than a pea and quite 

 white. 



"A little later, I saw two tiny birds, no larger 

 than bees. You must be very careful when you go 

 near a nest, for the mother bird fears you will take 

 her babies. She will fly at you and try to pick out 

 your eyes. 



" Not long afterwards, I saw the father and mother 

 birds teaching the little humming birds to fly, and 

 soon they were gone." 



The girls were much pleased with John's story. 

 They came every day, while the flowers lasted, to 

 watch their new friend. 



