132 
NESTS AND EGGS OE 
opinion that these birds manifest a great fondness for their homes, and 
guard them with the most jealous care. Nuttall makes mention of a 
circumstance occurring under his notice, which confirms this belief. 
During one of his excursions, he met with a male-bird, whose over- 
anxiety about the safety of the nest induced liim to keep a lookout for 
anything that might happen. Following his guide, who, though unwilling 
to expose its whereabouts, wms driven to it by an irresistible influence, he 
came to a low bush, where, dangling from a branch, and only about four 
feet from the ground, flashed upon his vision the lovely spectacle. It was 
a beautiful affair, in shape like a long purse, and having a neat circular 
opening near the top which answered for a doorway. The lint of plants, 
moss and down entered into its manufacture, and within there was a soft 
lining of feathers. This nest contained six perfectly white treasures, which 
were only awaiting the mysterious and miraculous powers of a few more 
days, perhaps hours, of heat, to transform them into restless, active, yet 
helpless beings. When a bird is killed, we are told, others will gather 
around it with manifestations of anxiety, calling plaintively upon it to 
follow them in their s]3orts and wanderings. So fearless do they become 
at such times that it is almost possible to take them by the hand. Assu- 
redly, such exhibitions of sorrow and solicitude as we have depicted, are 
not only to be met with then, hut also, to an infinitely greater extent, on 
those more trying occasions when their homes are about being desecrated 
and despoiled by sacrilegious hands. 
The eggs of the Least Tit are quite small, beautifully oval in shape, 
and of a pure, unspotted white color. They slightly vary in dimensions. 
In a set of five which w^e have before us, the largest measures .57 of an 
inch in length, and .44 in width ; the smallest, .56 by .45 inches. The 
average measurement is .57 by .44 of an inch. The number of eggs con- 
stituting a complement ranges from five to nine. Nothing has been stated 
in regard to the number of broods annually raised, hut it is probable the 
species is single-brooded. 
