14 EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 
a nearby branch the father bird sang, and I recog- 
nized the song of the solitary or blue-headed vireo, 
who belongs in the deep woods and whose rare nest is 
usually found in their depths. As the male came 
nearer, I could see his pure white throat which, with 
the white line from eye to bill and the greenish-yellow 
markings on either flank, make good field-marks. 
The four eggs, which I saw afterwards when the 
mother bird was off the nest, were white with reddish 
markings all over instead of being blotched at one 
end as are those of the red-eyed vireo. Every day 
for the rest of that week I visited my little friend; 
and before I left she grew to know me so well that 
she would not even ruffle up her feathers when I 
pulled the limb down. 
Children are of great help in the life adventurous. 
They have an inexhaustible fund of admiration for 
even the feeblest efforts of their parents in adven- 
turing. Many a dull dog, who once heard nothing 
in all the world but the clank of business, has been 
changed into a confirmed adventurer by sheer ap- 
preciation. Moreover, children possess an energy and 
imagination which we grown-ups often lack. Only 
the other afternoon I started off for a walk with 
my four, to find myself suddenly dining in the New 
Forest with Robin Hood, Little John, Will Scarlet, 
and Allan a’ Dale. Owing probably to a certain 
comfortable habit of person, I was elected to be 
Friar Tuck. 
The forest itself is a wonderful wood of great trees 
