WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 299 



another gray pocket containing young nearly ready to 

 fly. The pair which were building worked together, 

 bringing moss, tiny leaves, lichens, and bits of paper, 

 which they tucked dexterously into the outer walls. At 

 first one could see through the structure, so loosely was 

 it woven, but little by little the weaving and lining filled 

 the interstices until it was of the proper solidity and 

 thickness. Then began the carrying of feathers to the 

 pretty cradle, and for a whole day one or the other of 

 the wee builders, neither one of which was larger than a 

 man's thumb, brought feathers. Often, with his bill so 

 full of these that the bird was very little larger than his 

 load, the tiny male would dart in through the little round 

 doorway, followed closely by the female with her portion ; 

 and both would fly out again almost instantly. Usually, 

 however, only one feather at a time was carried. The 

 nearest chicken yard was at least one hundred yards dis- 

 tant, and from the frequency of the trips to the nest and 

 the distance the feathers were brought, the birds must 

 have been constantly on the wing. 



When all was finished to their satisfaction, the female 

 disappeared into the depths of the swinging cradle and 

 was seen by me no more for twelve days. Her mate 

 brought her food at short intervals during the warm 

 hours of the day, always alighting near and calling 

 before he ventured to the nest. He never went inside 

 while I was watching, but leaned down to her until 

 only the tip of his tail could be seen in the doorway. 

 On the fourteenth day after incubation had begun, a slit 



