THE SUMMIT OF THE YEARS 



late, cold season and the consequent scarcity of food 

 was undoubtedly the cause of so small a family. 



Another pair of wood thrushes built a nest on the 

 low branch of a maple by the roadside, where I had 

 it under daily observation. This nest presently held 

 three eggs, two of which hatched in due time, and 

 for a few days the young seemed to prosper. Then 

 one morning, I noticed the mother bird sitting in a 

 silent, meditative way on the edge of the nest. As she 

 made no move during the minute or two while I 

 watched her, I drew near to see what was the mat- 

 ter. I found one of the young birds in a state of ut- 

 ter collapse ; it was cold and all but lifeless. The next 

 morning I found the bird again sitting motionless on 

 the rim of the nest and gazing into it. I found one 

 of the birds dead and the other nearly so. What had 

 brought about the disaster I could not teU; no cause 

 was apparent. I at first suspected vermin, but could 

 detect none. The silent, baffled look of the mother 

 bird I shall not soon forget. There was no demon- 

 stration of grief or alarm; only a brooding, puzzled 

 look. 



I once witnessed similar behavior on the part of 

 a pair of bluebirds that were rearing a brood in a box 

 on a grape post near my study. One day I chanced 

 to observe one of the parent birds at the entrance 

 of the nest, gazing long and intently in. In the course 

 of the day I saw this act several times, and in no case 

 did the bird enter the box with food as it had been 

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