BIRDS' NESTS. 85 



c Whilst/ says Mr. Weir, ' I was anxiously 

 watching their motions in the midst of a very 

 thick arbor-vitae tree, about nine feet from their 

 nest, the female, who was sitting at the door 

 of it, having noticed me, set up her cry of 

 alarm. The male, upon hearing it, appeared 

 to be in a state of great irritation. I imme- 

 diately ran off to some distance, pursued by 

 the little creatures, who were scolding me with 

 great vehemence. On the fifth day, they gave 

 over working at half-past one. The sixth day 

 was Sunday, when they were not watched. 

 On the seventh day they began to build at 

 twenty minutes to eight o'clock, went to dinner 

 at their usual hour, and brought in only a few 

 feathers in the afternoon. On the (eighth and 

 ninth days they worked only till ten o'clock. 

 On the forenoon of the tenth day, the nest was 

 finished. It was by far the neatest of its kind 

 that I have seen ; and little wonder, when we 

 consider the long time which they took in the 

 erection of it. I regret to say that it was torn 



