PHCEBE. 417 



week in April. The nest is situated under a bridge, in a cave, 

 the side of a well 5 or 6 feet down, under a shed, or in the 

 shelter of the low eaves of a cottage, and even in an empty- 

 kitchen ; sometimes it rests on a beam, though it is frequently 

 attached to the side of a piece of roofing timber in the manner 

 of the Swallow. 



According to the touching relation of Wilson, this humble 

 and inoffensive bird forms conjugal attachments which prob- 

 ably continue through life ; for, like the faithful Bluebirds, 

 a pair continued for several years to frequent and build in a 

 romantic cave in the forest which made part of the estate of 

 the venerable naturalist, William Bartram. Here our unfortu- 

 nate birds had again taken up their welcome lease for the 

 summer, again chanted forth their simple lay of affection, and 

 cheered my aged friend with the certain news of spring ; when 

 unexpectedly ^a party of idle boys, one fatal Saturday, de- 

 stroyed with the gun the parents of this old and peaceful 

 settlement ; and from that time forward no other pair were 

 ever seen around this once happy, now desolate spot. 



Their attachment to particular places is indeed remarkable. 

 About the middle of April, 1831, at the Fresh Pond Hotel, in 

 this vicinity, three different nests were begun in the public 

 boat-house, which may be here considered almost as a thorough- 

 fare. Only one nest, however, was completed ; and we could 

 not help admiring the courage and devotedness with which 

 the parents fed their young, and took their alternate station 

 by the side of the nest, undaunted in our presence, only now 

 and then uttering a 'is/itp when observed too narrowly. Some 

 ruffian at length tore down the nest and carried off the brood ; 

 but our Pewit immediately coilimenced a new fabric, laid 5 

 additional eggs in the same place with the first, and, in haste 

 to finish her habitation, lined it with the silvery shreds of a 

 Manilla rope which she discovered in the contiguous loft 

 over the boat-house. For several previous seasons the parents 

 had taken up their abode in this vicinity, and seemed unwil- 

 ling to remove from the neighborhood they had once chosen, 

 in spite of the most untoward circumstances. In two other 



VOL. I. — 27 



