202 NATURE STUm' IN SCHOOLS. 



THE NESTING OF A PAIR OF BLUEBIRDS. 



BY 



Theodore Parker. 



(Read before the Maynard Chapter of the Newton Natural History Society, 



Sep. 8, 1899.) 



On July 11th, I found a bluebird's nest with four eggs in it. The nest 

 was in a natural cavity in the limb of an apple tree, five feet from the 

 ground and right beside a road. When I went there I heard the bird, but 

 did not see her. 



On July 13th, I found the eggs were still in the nest, but again I did 

 not see the old bird. But the next day as I came up to the nest, the moth- 

 er bird flew off, and alighting on a telegraph wire, watched me for a few 

 minutes and then flew away. 



On July loth, I visited the nest twice. The first time, the female flew 

 off, and when I looked in I found two young birds and two eggs. 



The second time I came I found the male on a wire near the nest, 

 and the female was just coming out of the hole, head first. I put up my 

 hand and stopped her, and she went back again. When I put my hand 

 in, I found that she had turned around and her tail was facing the en- 

 trance. How she did it in that narrow place, I do not Know. I took her 

 in my hand, and pulled her out, and at that she struggled and gave a 

 call note. Immediately, the male flew ; right at me and came within three 

 feet of my head. As soon as I let the female go, they both flew away. 

 I found that the young birds had no feathers on, and that their eyes were 

 not open. July 17th. As I came to the nest, the female flew off. I found 

 that there were still two young birds and two eggs. July 19th. I found 

 the male bird on a wire with food in his mouth. There were still two eggs 

 in the nesc. 



July 20th. The young birds are growing fast, but their eyes are not 

 open yet. The eggs are still in the nest, so I think they are bad and will 

 not hatch. The male was near the nest. 



July 24th. When I came up to the nest today, I did not see any of 

 the old birds around. I found that the young birds had their eyes open. 



July 28th. Today I found that the young birds had quite a number of 

 feathers on. They are growing fast. 



August 1st. This morning I took one of the young bi-ds out of the 

 nest. It flew right out of my hand, and alighted in the road. I caught it, 



