My Summer Tenants 97 
INSPECTION 
the vacated nest, was surprised 
to find among the feathers a des- 
sicated bird that had died when 
quite small. Perhaps the parents 
were reluctant to leave behind 
one of that happy family. 
Both families have long since 
joined the great army of their 
Own species,—the earliest of all 
the birds to leave for the South. 
Another winter has passed, and 
another spring-time has come. 
It is time now for the Swallows 
to return to their old box. 
Already the Bluebirds have come 
back. They were seen yesterday, 
stealing feathers from the Swal- 
lows’ nest. But these may not 
object, to find that their old ene- 
mies have cleaned house for them. 
other, they fall to the ground, too ex- 
hausted to try another round. Besides 
guarding the home, the father bird took 
his share of the work in supplying the 
hungry nestlings with bugs and flies. 
During the hot weather, the mother 
brought water in her bill for the thirsty 
birds, and sometimes she varied the diet 
of insects with a small piece of gravel 
from the road, probably in place of pep- 
sin, to aid digestion. 
During this time the birds in the other 
box were engaged in similar employ- 
ments. With them, also, were six young 
birds constantly clamoring for attention. 
On the third of July, five well-feathered 
birds left the pole on the box, to shift 
for themselves. And the landlord, wonder- 
ing why the parent birds kept entering 
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