How to Attract the Birds 



rather than hatch out one interloper to worry and 

 starve her brood. Where a second persecution 

 has taken place, two new cradle bottoms have been 

 woven. If you ever have the good fortune to find 

 a two or three storied nest, you may be sure it 

 belongs to this little Spartan mother. 



THE CLIMAX OF BIRD-LIFE. 



For special and excellent reasons of their own, 

 some birds may build earlier in the season, some 

 not until midsummer, but for the great majority 

 May is the month of happy achievements; jealousies 

 of courtship have given place to blissful content; 

 every moment is filled with happy, profitable labour. 

 Sometimes both lovers busy themselves with the 

 home building ; perhaps the wife does all the 

 manual work, while the mate merely makes her 

 pretty speeches, approves her every act, applauds 

 her industry, her skill, cheers her by his constant 

 presence and such music as love alone inspires. 

 What of that ? She is perfectly satisfied ; these May 

 days are her realization of Paradise. Whatever is 

 best in the nature of both mates at least temporarily 

 triumphs over the base ; for however selfish birds 

 may be at other seasons, in May they are truly one 

 in purpose and sympathy. According to their tem- 

 perament, some work impulsively with outbreaks 

 of rollicking ecstatic, passionate song like the wren, 

 or with steady persistence and the serene hymn of 

 the thrush. At last the end crowns the work : the 

 building of the nest embodies all that is greatest in 

 a bird's life. 



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