26 



HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



become accustomed to seeing me thus, I raised the 

 screen and sat where I could have put my hand upon 

 the occupant of the nest, but I never disturbed the 

 mother bird ; so by the time the young were hatched, 

 the parents would feed while I sat by the window. 

 But this pair simply tolerated me ; they treated me 

 with a sort of sublime indifference, just as they would 



some large animal of which they were not afraid. 

 "When the young were fledged, they came upon the 

 back piazza, where the old ones fed them close to my 

 side. 



Another pair of this species nested in a honeysuckle 

 that climbed over the back piazza ; and here was a bird 

 — the male — who was not only not afraid, but he ap- 

 preciated me, and was companionable and intelligent, 



