192 Bird -Lore 



nestlings and, in some instances, the mother-bird from rain and wind, the direct 

 rays of the sun, too great moisture, and also from enemies, such as cats, weasels, 

 snakes and thoughtless boys or cruel pothunters. If you will take time to 

 observe just how skilfully birds accomplish, this task, you will have learned a 

 great deal of interesting knowledge. It would take far more space than is 

 here available to describe bird-architecture with regard to this one point of 

 protection. Look at all the pictures of nests that you can, or, better yet, 

 study real nests without disturbing the birds. 



In the third place, a nest must be conveniently placed for procuring food 

 both for the young birds and the parents, especially the former. Since nearly 

 all land-birds, whatever their food-habits when adult, feed insects to their 

 young, it frequently happens that the nesting- site of these birds seems to be 

 selected rather for convenience in getting food than for safety. I recall a 

 Crested Flycatcher, which built in an old apple stub only a few feet from 

 the highway, in an open pasture, where insect food was abundant. Hardly a 

 more conspicuous site could have been hit upon, but the naturally timid 

 parent birds reared their young there successfully. 



Parent-birds may have to go longer distances to seek their own food than 

 that for the young. Try watching nesting-birds and see where they find food. 



A nest is usually in two parts, an outer part, or foundation, and an inner 

 part which is the nest proper. The outer part varies greatly in many cases, 

 so that it would be difficult cften, to determine the species to which a nest 

 belongs by the foundation alone. The inner part is usually far more regular 

 and of one type. One reason for this is that, when the nesting-site is once 

 chosen, the nest is built of materials which are at hand. It is not safe, there- 

 fore, to describe the nest of a single bird, expecting all other birds of that kind 

 to build exactly similar nests. This is an interesting point to study. You may 

 find a lost letter, handkerchief, string, tissue-paper, or the like, woven into 

 the outer part of a Robin's nest, giving it a strange, un-Robinlike appearance, 

 but you will seldom find the inner part lacking the nicely-molded cup of mud 

 which cements the structure firmly together. 



Perhaps as helpful a way as any to learn to recognize nests is by a com- 

 parative study of the different groups of birds and the different kinds of nests 

 which they build. 



The best way, of course, is to watch birds building their cradles, but we 

 are not often at hand to watch this interesting operation. 



The following table is simply a guide to a comparative study of nests and 

 nesting-data. The species given under each Order and Family, with one or two 

 exceptions, are described and pictured in the Educational Leaflets published in 

 Bird-Lore during the last few years. Particular attention should be given to 

 correlating the "condition of the young at hatching" with the "kind of nest." 

 What birds are born naked or nearly so? What birds are ready to leave the 

 nest shortly after hatching? 



