An Oriole's Nest. 75 



ground, dragging it after her, chirping loudly the 

 while. She disappeared into a crab-apple tree in a 

 corner of the garden, whither the male followed her 

 a moment later. 



Curious as to what they were doing, yet fearing to 

 disturb them, I waited where I was till I saw both 

 birds fly to the nest, each with some long threads. 

 This was repeated; and then curiosit}- got the better 

 of consideration. While the orioles were ^\"ea\•ing the 

 last threads into their nest, I ran round the house, 

 crept a long way behind the old wall, and so to a safe 

 hiding place near the crab-apple. 



The orioles had solved their problem ; the bit of 

 cloth was fastened there securely among the thorns. 

 Soon the birds came back and, seizing some threads 

 by the ends, raveled them out ^\■ithout difhcult\'. It 

 was the work of but a moment to gather as much 

 material as they could use at one weaving. For an 

 hour or more I watched them working industriously 

 between the crab-apple and the old elm, where the 

 nest was growing rapidlv to a beautiful depth. Se\'- 

 eral times the bit of cloth slipped from the thorns as 

 the birds pulled upon it; but as often as it did thev 

 carried it back and fastened it more securelv, till at 

 last it grew so snarled that thev could get no more 

 long threads, when they left it for good. 



That same day I carried out some bright-colored 



