FEATHERED ARTISTS 11 



branch of a hemlock or spruce tree. It is like a 

 delicate jewel suspended on a spider's web; and 

 the artists have selected the most suitable colours 

 from the greyish green mosses out of which to make 

 it. These miniature birds have slate-blue backs 

 and orange-yellow breasts, and these colours quite 

 harmonise with the colours of their eyrie and jewel- 

 like nests. Mr. Warbler redecorates the house 

 anew every day, and it is not uncommon to see 

 petals of the yellow daffodils gracefully stuck into 

 the walls. He is an artist even in his attention to 

 his devoted mate ! 



The red-winged blackbird builds a most unusual 

 nest in the form of an inverted cone. These charm- 

 ing artists of the swamp-lands fill the air with loud, 

 clear, resonant notes. And while their homes are 

 at times somewhat bulky in appearance, yet they are 

 most often so symmetrically and compactly woven 

 into the cat-tails that they are beautifully artistic 

 in appearance. The outer covering is made of 

 grasses and rushes, while within is a delicate lining 

 of thistle from hawkweed, dandelion, and other soft 

 materials. 



In the Rio Grande Valley is a cousin of the east- 

 ern motmot, known locally as the saw-biU, though 

 scientifically called the blue-crowned motmot. The 

 top of its head is covered with a tuft of blue feath- 



