THE ROBIN 95 



give the mud this shape? (She sat down on her nest 

 and pressed her breast against it, — now here, now 

 'there. You could see her tail moving around in a 

 circle as she molded her nest.) How did she get- 

 the coarse material in shape for the outside ? (With 

 her bill and claws. Her claws and toes are her 

 hands.) [Study of these as adapted to grasping 

 and holding, if the teacher has a live robin. If not, 

 it is enough to know that she does use her toes for 

 fingers.] How long does it take to build the nest? 

 (Three or four days ; sometimes less.) When the 

 nest is all done, what happens? (The mother bird 

 lays some eggs.) How many? (One on each day 

 until from two to six are laid.) Of what size are 

 the eggs? (They are about the size of some of 

 the little candy Easter eggs.) Of what color? 

 (Bluish green.) Is that a good color for them? 

 Why? The "color resembles that of the leaves of 

 the tree, so the eggs are not readily noticed. 



Does anything ever disturb these eggs? (Some- 

 times bluejays, crows, blackbirds, or owls go to the 

 robin's nest and steal all of the eggs.) What if the 

 robins should see one of these birds near the nest? 

 (They would raise a terrible cry, call their neighbors, 

 and flutter about until the bird might be glad to leave.) 



