BIRD PARADISE 



it on a beam in the barn where a robin had been 

 in the habit of putting its summer cottage. 

 There were three complete nests built in a row 

 and joined together strongly with stalks of dried 

 grass. I am at a loss just how to account for 

 such a novelty. A pair of robins frequently 

 rear two broods in one season, but I have not 

 known them to add still another. In those cases 

 where I have known two broods reared the 

 second nest was a new one in another place. I 

 never have known them to use a nest the second 

 time. If the nests were separate and only placed 

 side by side without being joined together firmly 

 I should conclude that they were built by the 

 same pair of birds — a nest yearly for three years. 

 But here they are with the foundation of dried 

 grass extending under the three, making them in 

 that particular virtually one nest. The theory 

 that three pairs of birds joined in the construc- 

 tion of the nests is not tenable from the fact that 

 in a venture of this nature the parties cannot 

 agree well enough to make such a common plan a 

 real success. I am quite disposed to regard the 

 venture as that of a single pair of robins who 

 took a "long look ahead," planning their house 

 scheme so that three households were successfully 

 reared in one season. It certainly has the merit 



