THE WOOD-PEWEE. 133 



moment he would fly right into my face; but he 

 made a dexterous turn in time, caught his quarry, 

 and swung to a bough near by. If one were dis- 

 posed to be speculative, one might well raise 

 Sidney Lanier's pregnant inquiry at this point, 

 the reference being to the southern mocking-bird, 

 and not to our pewee, — 



" How may the death of that dull insect be 

 The life of yon trim Shakspeare, on the tree ? " 



It has been my good fortune to find one, but 

 only one, nest of this bird. It was placed on a 

 horizontal branch about fifteen feet above the 

 ground, and was a neat, compact structure, deco- 

 rated on the outside with grayish lichens and moss, 

 giving it the appearance of an excrescence on the 

 limb.^ It is said by those who have closely exam- 

 ined the nests, that they are handsomely built and 

 ornamented, and are equalled only by the dainty 

 houses of the humming-bird and the blue-gray 

 gnat-catcher. The eggs, usually four in number, 

 are of a creamy white hue, beautifully embellished 

 with a wreath of lavender and purplish-brown 

 around the larger end or near the centre. 



Though our bird prefers solitary places for his 

 home, he is far from shy, if you call on him in his 

 haunt in the wildwood. He will sit fearless on 

 his perch, even if you come quite near, looking at 



1 Since this was written, I have found several more nests, 

 and have even watched the skilful architects at their house- 

 building. 



