Bluebird Tenants 



13 



be reckoned upon to herald that event. For half an hour this youngster 

 clung at the entrance, gazing out at the untried world and starting nervously 

 at sounds vi^ithin the room. To fly or not to fly, that was the question, and, 

 as it sat there wavering, the camera registered its indecision. At last, 

 encouraged by calls from the parent, it flew to the tree below. 



In ten minutes another tur-wee was heard, as the owner made its 

 way to the air and light. This young one* flew in five minutes. Just one 

 minute later came another call as of one fearful of being left behind ; but this 



MALE BLUEBIRD AT NEST 

 Photographed from nature by A. P. Morse 



nestling, after scrambling up to the light, fell back for the night, slipping 

 away unnoticed early in the morning. 



They were all out now, and to the parents, busy with the initiation of 

 their charges into the ways of the perilous world, meal-worms offered no 

 further charms. 



On July 12, just two weeks afcerward, the old birds reappeared at the 

 window, helped themselves to meal-worms and went in to inspect their 

 house. Soon they began to prepare for the second brood. Some of the 

 old grasses were pulled out, new grass was brought, and this time some 

 horsehair was used for lining. 



On August I, three weeks after the birds began to repair the nest, the 

 second brood hatched. 



The story of the second brood is a very different one from that of the 



