304 



LAND BIRDS 



earth drinks eagerly. His song ended, he floats down 

 again, alighting with the easy grace of a mocker, and is 

 at rest all but his quivering wings. He seems to squat 

 rather than perch and -is happiest when flying. 



It was rare good luck that showed me the only Soli- 

 taire's nest I ever found. A rolling stone and a mis- 

 step landed me flat on my back directly 

 in front of it and within a foot of the 

 water's edge. At first I did not realize 

 my good fortune, because I 

 did not recognize the nest 

 or the young. It was a 

 bulky affair, under a huge 

 boulder which lay in such a 

 position that only two inches 

 intervened between the earth 

 and the overhanging stone ; 

 and in this low-roofed crev- 

 ice the Solitaire had gath- 

 ered more than a quart of 

 grass, weed stems, shredded 

 bark, pine needles, rootlets, 

 and dead leaves. These 

 seemed to lie in a thick mat as if driven there by the 

 wind, and, but for the hasty exit of a bird, I should 

 never have looked at them. 



Examination revealed a foundation of larger weed 

 stems and a neatly moulded inner nest. In it were five 

 feathered nestlings. They were much browner in tone 

 than the adults and were beautifully mottled on the 



754. Townsend 

 Solitaire. 



" Remained there singing 

 •when the shadows of evening 

 \ closed over the scene." 



