Here is a pair building upon a pile of boards- 

 under a cherry-tree ; another pair plaster their 

 nest to the rider of an old worm-fence ; while a 

 third couple, abandoning the woods near by, 

 plant theirs, against all remonstrance, upon 

 the top of a step-ladder that the brickmakers 

 use daily in their drying-sheds. 



It was the superlative stupidity of this robin 

 that saved her family. The workmen at first 

 knocked her nest off to the ground. She had 

 plenty of clay at hand, however, and began her 

 nest again, following the ladder as it moved 

 about the shed. Such amazing persistence won, 

 of course. Out of wonder, finally, the men gave 

 the ladder over to her and stood aside till her 

 family affairs were attended to. Everything^ 

 was right in time. After infinite scolding, she 

 at last came off in triumph, with her brood of 

 four. 



A striking illustration of this growing alliance 

 between us and the birds is the nest of the great- 

 crested flycatcher in the orchard. Great-crest 

 has almost become an orchard-bird. At heart 

 he is, and ever will be, a bird of the wilds. He 

 is not tame— does not want to be tame ; he is 



[146] 



