164 BIRD STORIES FROM BURROUGHS 



my hand, doing the work also in September. But 

 the choice of tree was not a good one ; the limb 

 was too much decayed, and the workman had 

 made the cavity too large ; a chip had come out, 

 making a hole in the outer wall. Then he went 

 a few inches down the limb and began again, 

 and excavated a large, commodious chamber, but 

 bad again come too near the surface; scarcely 

 more than the bark protected him in one place, 

 and the limb was very much weakened. Then he 

 made another attempt still farther down the 

 limb, and drilled in an inch or two, but seemed 

 to change his mind ; the work stopped, and I 

 concluded the bird had wisely abandoned the 

 tree. Passing there one cold, rainy November 

 day, I thrust in my two fingers and was surprised 

 to feel something soft and warm : as I drew 

 away my hand the bird came out, apparently no 

 more surprised than I was. It had decided, then, 

 to make its home in the old limb ; a decision it 

 had occasion to regret, for not long after, on a 

 stormy night, the branch gave way and fell to 

 the ground : — 



" When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, 

 And down will come baby and cradle and all." 



Another trait our woodpeckers have that en" 

 dears them to me is their habit of drumming i* 



