THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



91 



Old " Put " and the Bird's Nest. 



The boys of revolutionary times were 

 very much like the boys of to-day. 



General Israel Putnam, who is the hero 

 of all "Young America" for his breakneck 

 ride dov^n the cliffs and his adventure in 

 the wolf's den, was a "bird's-nester" in his 

 boyhood. The following anecdote of him 

 is sent us by a friend : 



Putnam's early days were spent as those 

 of most boys placed in his situation in life. 

 One of his favorite amusements was "bird- 

 nesting." The hunts for the nests were fol- 

 lowed in company, and Putnam was 

 always the .leader. 



On one occasion he and his companions 

 came across a fine nest, which lodged on a 

 fine branch of a very high tree. There was 

 no way of reaching the nest except by 

 climbing (which was very difiicult), and 

 venturing out on the branch, which, nine 

 chances to one, would break under the 

 weight of the robber. No one would ven- 

 ture. Putnam regarded the nest and limb 

 in silence for some moments, and at length 

 said : 



' ' I'd wager that there is not a boy for 

 ten miles around that can get that nest. " 



All agreed with him. 



" I'll try it," said he, deliberately taking 

 off his jacket and rolling his pantaloons up 

 to his knees. His companions tried to dis- 

 suade him, but to no purpose. Go he 

 would. 



" I'll fancy that one of the king's strong- 

 holds," said Putnam, "and maj^ I be 

 blessed if I don't take it-" 



The tree was ascended — The limb gained. 

 Putnam placed his foot upon it, and it 

 cracked. He ventured a foot further ; the 

 limb bent low, and a warning murmur 

 rose from the boys below— and Putnam 

 persevered. His fingers touched the wished 

 for prize, and just as he cried, "I've got 

 it," the limb broke clear off, and he fell — 

 but not to the ground. His pantaloons 

 caught in one of the lower limbs, and his 

 head hung downward. 



" Put, are you hurt?" asked one of the 

 boys. 



"Not hurt," answered the undaunted 

 heart, ' ' but sorely puzzled how to get 

 down.'" 



" We can't cut away the limb, because 

 we have got no knife." 



" I can't stay here till you get one." 



"We'll strike a light and burn the tree 

 down. " 



' ' Ay, and smother me in the smoke. 

 That won't do." 



There was a boy named Randall in the 

 group, who was noted for being a crack 

 marksman, and who afterwards fought 

 bravely by Putnam's side. Him Putnam 

 addressed : 



"Jim Randall, there's a ball in your 

 rifle?" 



" Yes." 



" Do you see that a very little limb holds 

 me here?" 



"I do." 



"Fire at it." 



"What, to cut you down?" 



" Of course." 



" But I might strike your head," 



"Shoot! Better blow out my brains 

 than see me die here, which I shall do in 

 fifteen minutes. Shoot!" 



"But you will fall." 



" Jim Randall, will you fire?" 



The sharp crack of the rifle rang through 

 the forest, the splinters flew, and Putnam 

 fell upon the ground. He was severely 

 bruised, but laughed the matter off, and 

 nothing more was thought of it. Drawing 

 the nest from his pocket, he said : 



' ' Here is that nest ; I said I would have 

 it, and no one should see me fail." 



In regard to the Mallard and Ruddy 

 Ducks laying in the same nest as men- 

 tioned among the Jottings in the last num- 

 ber of Young Oologist by E. S. C. , Hu- 

 ron, D. T. We might add the following- 

 similar instance. 



In our collection we have a set of five 

 eggs of the Cinnamon Teal, collected by 

 Chas. E. Aiken, near Ft. Garland, Colo., 

 July 12th, 1875, on the back of the data 

 blank which accompanies the set, the col- 

 lector add: "In the same nest with these 

 eggs (the Cinnamon Teal) were three larger 

 ones of a different species — probably Mal- 

 lard's." Mr. Aiken also says in regard to 

 this nest : ' 'The nest was reached by wade- 

 ing about 200 yards through mud and 

 water waist deep." 



