BIRDS’—NESTS 95 
one who thoroughly knew her mind, she was pro- 
ceeding to take it. Finally the site was chosen 
upon a high branch, extending over one low wing 
of the house. Mutual congratulations and caresses 
followed, when both birds flew away in quest of 
building material. That most freely used is a sort 
of cotton-bearing plant which grows in old worn- 
out fields. The nest is large for the size of the 
bird, and very soft. It is in every respect a first- 
class domicile. 
On another occasion, while walking or rather 
sauntering in the woods (for I have discovered that 
one cannot run and read the book of nature), my 
attention was arrested by a dull hammering, evi- 
dently but a few rods off. I said to myself, “Some 
one is building a house.” From what I had pre- 
viously seen, I suspected the builder to be a red- 
headed woodpecker in the top of a dead oak stub 
near by. Moving cautiously in that direction, I 
perceived a round hole, about the size of that made 
by an inch-and-a-half auger, near the top of the 
decayed trunk, and the white chips of the workman 
strewing the ground beneath. When but a few 
paces from the tree, my foot pressed upon a dry 
twig, which gave forth a very slight snap. In- 
stantly the hammering ceased, and a scarlet head 
appeared at the door. Though I remained perfectly 
motionless, forbearing even to wink till my eyes 
smarted, the bird refused to go on with his work, 
but flew quietly off to a neighboring tree. What 
surprised me was, that, amid his busy occupation 
acne 
