BIRDS'-NESTS 



soon procures another mate. There are, most likely, 

 always a few unmated birds of both sexes within 

 a given range, and through these the broken links 

 may be restored. Audubon or Wilson, I forget 

 which, tells of a pair of fish hawks, or ospreys, that 

 built their nest in an ancient oak. The male was 

 so zealous in the defense of the young that he ac- 

 tually attacked with beak and claw a person who 

 attempted to climb into his nest, putting his face 

 and eyes in great jeopardy. Arming himself with 

 a heavy club, the climber felled the gallant bird to 

 the ground and killed him. In the course of a few 

 days the female had procured another mate. But 

 naturally enough the stepfather showed none of the 

 spirit and pluck in defense of the brood that had 

 been displayed by the original parent. When dan- 

 ger was nigh he was seen afar off, sailing around in 

 placid unconcern. 



It is generally known that when either the wild 

 turkey or domestic turkey begins to lay, and after- 

 wards to sit and rear the brood, she secludes herself 

 from the male, who then, very sensibly, herds with 

 others of his sex, and betakes himself to haunts of 

 his own till male and female, old and young, meet 

 again on common ground, late in the fall. But rob 

 the sitting bird of her eggs, or destroy her tender 

 young, and she immediately sets out in quest of a 

 male, who is no laggard when he hears her call. 

 The same is true of ducks and other aquatic fowls. 

 125 



