204 BIRD PARADISE 



tuated with delightful spring touches. Eobins 

 and bluebirds were everywhere and every one 

 seemed to have a song to sing. It was not entirely 

 a concert conducted by the males, for many of 

 the other sex were present and joined cheerily in 

 the common refrain. Just how the fellows find 

 food to satisfy them I cannot learn. There are 

 bare spaces of ground, though most of the fields are 

 still carpeted with snow. There is food tucked 

 away in the grass, grubs and insects, and very 

 likely they make use of this great cupboard 

 freely. I notice that the bird life early in the 

 spring is more spirited than at any other season 

 of the year. Of course at that time they have a 

 large amount of business on their hands, and it is 

 business that they enjoy working at with all their 

 might. Very nearly as soon as they arrive from 

 the South they search through the trees for the 

 right place to construct their summer cottage 

 and if the weather is favorable they get right to 

 work getting everything into shape. The early 

 comers are none of them real adepts at nest build- 

 ing. Eobin eschews all beauty in his work and 

 bluebird makes little or no effort beyond the 

 shaping of a house that serves all practical pur- 

 poses. Each works out his own plan, and that 

 meets all requirements in every case. 



