next day I was called away a few 

 hours, and on my return they had 

 brought the nest up into position, and 

 secured it with a new "guy." The opera 

 glass revealed the restoration. They 

 had taken a longish, but narrow rag, 

 quilted it into the unsupported side of 

 the nest, carried th*e end up and around 

 a twig branch, nearly a foot away, 

 brought it back and taken up slack 



enough to bring the nest into place, then 

 fastened it again and finally had made it 

 doubly secure by the addition of a 

 sirring deftly knotted to the same twig. 

 Then the happy couple proceeded with 

 their affairs as other birds do, and 

 brought off their young without farther 

 mishap. I now have the nest and 

 branch with my other nests, and regard 

 it as a fine piece of bird engineering. 



John Gould. 



THE MOCKINGBIRD. 



Light-swaying on the topmost bough of all, 

 Discoursing to his listening mate and me, 

 In gossip tale, and rippling melody. 

 He holds us both contentedly in thrall. 



Cheery, cheery, cheery! Deary, deary, deary! 



Come here, come here, come here. 



Stv — eet, sw — eet, sw — eet, 



Deary, deary, deary! Cheery, cheery, cheery! 



The purple bloomed alfalfa scents the air, 

 Refreshing breezes stir the cottonwood, 

 He swings and whistles in the merriest mood, 

 Finding his little world so bright and fair. 



Deary, deary, deary! Cheery, cheery, cheery! 



Bring it here, bring it here, bring it here! 



Pretty, pretty, pretty! But cheap, cheap, cheap! 



Why! Why! Why! Bring it here, bring it here, deary! 



Now hear him wheedle ! Hear him coax and tease, 

 With interludes of liveliest mimicry. 

 'Ha ! I can b'eat your best and not half try !" — 

 He flings the taunt to every bird he sees. 



Cheery, cheery, cheery! Deary, deary, deary — 

 Do come here, do come here, do come here! 

 Just a zvee, wee, wee minute — just a minute. 

 Sw — eet, sw — eet, sw — eet! Deary, deary, deary! 



— Lulu Whedon Mitchell. 



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