54 THE WREN. 
cloth. It is lined with horsehair. It is one of the most durable 
nests made, and will often remain several years in a tree, and still 
appear to be in about as good condition as when just finished. 
When we lived on the corner of Cypress and Waverly Streets, 
Brookline, a pair of these birds built in an elm directly across the 
way. ‘They built on the branches that drooped over the street, and 
could be seen from our front porch. The female did all the work 
on the nest, and finished it in a few days. 
After the completion of the nest four to six dull white eggs irregu- 
larly blotched with dark brown are laid, and incubation begins. 
This is done wholly by the female. The only contribution to it 
given by the male is to bring food to his mate. ‘The remainder of 
his time is occupied in singing, and, if the nest is in a tree on a 
street, in chasing away any English Sparrow that ventures to alight 
in the road near by. It is amusing to see this bright colored bird 
in hot pursuit of a dull-colored sparrow. The incubation lasts 
about two weeks and then the young hatch out. 
Both parents are then kept busy feeding the ever hungry little 
ones. ‘The young remain in the nest for two weeks; but long after 
they are able to fly they are fed by their parents. ‘They often climb 
to the edge of the nest before they can fly, and in case of storms 
or heavy winds are often thrown out. If uninjured, they are good 
climbers, and by means of wings, bill, and claws are often able to 
reach places of safety. If they come to a tree with a smooth bark 
they cannot getup. If, however, a rough barked one is encountered 
they will flutter up using their bill and feet to help them. When 
tired they cling to the trunk, and after resting a while continue 
their journey until they reach a branch. 
The Baltimore Oriole has an endless variety of songs. No two 
birds sing alike. The bird that built on the corner of Cypress and 
Waverly Sts. had a most remarkable song. At the time, I thought 
the Oriole was the most beautiful singer of any bird I had heard. 
The song was something, like, this: 
