42 



THE OOLOGIST. 



make new discoveries, and we cannot 

 all do that perhaps, he can at least fill 

 the world with the rainbows and silver 

 and golden mists of memory and assoc- 

 iation. Now I know some will say this 

 is mere sentimentality: But he who 

 retains the pictures of youthful days up 

 there in the private art galleries of his 

 memory especially if they be framed in 

 sunshine and happiness will think not 

 so. 



Lest we consume too much space and 

 time let us proceed to examine this un- 

 usual nest site of the Pewee. Four 

 words which I will use a number of 

 times in speaking of the nest must be 

 borne in mind; iMght, left, front and 

 back as you look at the illustration. 



This nest was found in May of 1894 

 in a sugar house, built on a f inch cot- 

 ton rope which was stretched at an 

 angle of 42 ® by exact measui'ement. 

 The half-tone is from an excellent pho- 

 tograph taken by F. J. Sauters of Sa- 

 lem, O., and represents the nest at the 

 proper angle on the identical rope ex- 

 actly as I found it. 



Beside its unusual size its elegant 

 shape and proportion at once impress 

 our judgment. Although it was a de- 

 cided departure and a doubtful under- 

 taking, yet the result is certainly not 

 that of a bungler. 



The following measurements will 

 more clearly and forcibly bring this 

 out. 



The greatest height is 7.50 inches, to 

 the right in front. On tlie right side 

 where the rope enters, which is two 

 inches back of the height just given, 

 the nets is 7.00 inches high; while to the 

 left where the rope comes out the height 

 is 6.00 inches. The cavity is one inch 

 deep, 2.50 inches wide from front to 

 back and 2.25 inches from right to left, 

 thus conforming with the shape of the 

 top which is 3 75 inches across from 

 right to left and 2.50 inches from front 

 to back. At the Avidest place near the 

 top, 1.25 in. from the top, it is 4.25 from 



right to left and 4.25 from front to back... 

 At the widest place below it is 4.75 in- 

 ches wide from right to left, and 4 50 

 inches from front to back. To the back 

 at the top the nest is built 2.50 inches- 

 farther beyond the lope than it is in 

 front; while below, the reverse is true, 

 21 inches more of the bulk being on 

 the front. 



So perfectly was it thus balanced 

 that I could take the rope between my 

 thumb and forefinger a'rid twirl it 

 smartly without causing the nest to 

 swing through an arc of any dimen- 

 sions. And it quickly regained its 

 equilibrium. When the mother bird 

 alighted upon it, it scarcely moved. 



To prove how fin-ely it was balanced 

 I must mention that a little quantity of 

 mud and moss which was plas'tered on 

 the front right side of the nest, forming 

 a loose and curious fringe was broken 

 off in moving it to the photographers, 

 and although this mass detached would 

 not make more than a small fraction of 

 an ounce, the nest does not now hang 

 quite "true." 



Was this nice balancing of the nest 

 the work of "accident" or "chance," or 

 is it a display of "instinct" elevated to 

 the borderland of "Reason?" 



Those who are anxious to discuss the 

 old question "Instinct versus Reason" 

 might here find a very fitting "bone of 

 contention." 



I acknowledge 1 cannot imagine how 

 a nest could be thus nicely poised by-fe 

 accident, yet I am not wont to give 

 birds credit for so much judgement. 

 Yet, in examining such unique nests we 

 must not forget several points, namely 

 — that birds always have enough judg- 

 ment to make their nests symmetrical 

 and plumb and level across the top; 

 and that these anomalous nests are 

 built under the reign of the same laws 

 which govern ordinary cases and might 

 be explained if we were a little better 

 versed in the ordinai'y habits— judg- 

 ment of the birds. So we may explain. 



