14 



Wild Birds. 



to work in the field or laboratory for weeks or months to attain a well-defined end, and 

 that end he will attain, provided it can be compassed by intelligence, industry, and skill. 

 Patience is the naturalist's stock in trade, and while no success ma)- come because of 

 it alone, none can be assured without it. 



In the ten days or two 

 weeks or more of life at 

 the nest events move rap- 

 idly and the question of 

 time is important. Anj' 

 interruptions are therefore 

 opportunities for the dis- 

 play of patience rather 

 than for the increase of 

 knowledge. 



We have already seen 

 that the displacement of 

 the nest or nesting branch 

 does not introduce unnat- 

 ural conditions of any im- 

 portance into the life of 

 the birds. Of course every 

 change wrought by man is 

 in a certain sense unnatu- 

 raL If we pluck a single 

 leaf from a tree, that tree 

 is no longer in its natural 

 state, but the change 

 counts for nothing. If we 

 keep on plucking leaves, 

 however, a time will come 

 when the arm of the bal- 

 ance is disturbed, and the 

 denuded tree is sure to 

 suffer. The removal of a 

 leaf or twig about a nest 

 is of no practical consequence, but this should not be carried too far, both on account of 

 the }'oung which need the protection of shade, and for the sake of natural appearances 

 \\-hich \vc wish to preserve. 



It might be supposed that when a branch is lopped off, its foliage would at once 

 wither, and unduly expose the nest or detract from the artistic value of a picture. The 

 fact is, however, that there is commonly enough sap in a hard wood bough of moderate 

 size to keep the leaves fresh for several days,' and towards the close of life at the nest the 



' When the nesting branch is vertical .-ind not too hirtjc, it can l.e easily kept fresh by placing it in a jug or can 

 of water which should be set in the ground. 



Fig. II. Female Chestnut-sided \Varbler shielding the young on a warm day. 

 Photographed from tent shown in Figs. 2 and 3. 



