46 THROUGH GLADE AND MEAD. 
underbrush a strange bird rose from the ground a foot 
or two and flew noiselessly out of sight. It was only a 
few steps to the spot, and there lay two of the hand- 
somest eggs found in New England, of a delicate creamy- 
white with blotches, lines and spots of different shades 
of light-brown and lavender. There was no nest, simply 
a slight hollow among the dead leaves. My curiosity 
was aroused to discover the name of the bird, and a 
visit about an hour later, when she was flushed from 
the nest, disclosed the fact that I had stumbled upon 
a very rare opportunity to watch one of our little- 
known birds. One of the eggs was taken to add to 
a small collection of birds’ eggs, a license having been 
previously obtained from the proper authority. At 
the end of two weeks a little ball of down was lying 
where the remaining egg had been. At the end of 
another week it had grown into the appearance of a 
young bird. At all these visits the mother-bird sat 
quietly on the nest until I had approached within ten 
feet of her, and then flew noiselessly away. But at the 
end of another week when I went to see what was the 
state of affairs, she ran toward me and fluttered around 
me while the little one scampered away among the un- 
derbrush that was near. Then when all was safe she 
flew away, and I saw her no more. I looked in vain 
in after years near the same spot, but I have not again 
stumbled upon so rare a sight. 
