Song Birds and Water Fowl 



parts of the tree. The remaining two, evident- 

 ly smaller and weaker, remained in the nest two 

 days longer ; and for several days I saw one 

 and another of the brood, or heard their faint 

 chirps among the trees of the orchard, by which 

 they signalled to the mother-bird, that now had 

 her hands full in flying hither and thither to 

 feed them. When the chicks had all left their 

 narrow quarters I followed my beaten track to 

 the apple-tree for the last time, and took away 

 the nest for a memento. It is not an elaborate 

 affair, although neatly woven, and composed of 

 straw, dried grass, slender twigs of evergreen, 

 and several strings which I had furnished ; while 

 the lining is of soft lint, apparently from a car- 

 pet, and my white yarn. 



At this late season, too, the air seemed full 

 of goldfinches ; for the young were just begin- 

 ning to try their wings and voices. Cedar birds 

 and goldfinches have this peculiarity in com- 

 mon, that they are the latest of all our birds to 

 rear their young, almost all other species hav- 

 ing their second or even third brood quite as 

 early as these have their first. I am ignorant 

 of the cause of so great delay ; but it is reason- 

 able to suppose that the supply of suitable food 

 for the young largely determines the time of 

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