158 



ful. I carefully walked around the thicket and quietlj' 

 parted the leaves. He was just returning with another 

 caterpillar protruding from either side of his bill. He did 

 not notice me and came directly to his nest which proved to 

 he only about six feet from me. Instead of giving the mor- 

 sel to young Cuckoos as I had expected, he passed it to his 



Fig. 136. AT LAST— FEATHERS. 



mate who, as I afterwards learned, was closely sitting upon 

 lier four blue eggs. It was an act of devotion that, know- 

 ing Cuckoos as I thought I did, I had not expected to see. I 

 have always thought that had not somebody or something 

 taken the eggs from this nest, it would have furnished me 

 with the opportunity to have gotten some successful pic- 

 tures. 



