THE TAILOR-BIRD AND THE ORIOLE. 
61 
ton and flax from the traveller's table. When 
he came back with his load, he put it down 
on the edge of the nest, or else on the branch, 
where the mother bird could reach it; and 
when he was tired of flying backwards and 
forwards, he would help her by pressing it 
together with his body. 
The industry of the two little birds did not 
prevent their having a few games at play ; and 
they would even quarrel in sport, and one 
would pull down the work that the other had 
been doing. Then the mother bird would 
take offence, and fly off*, from bush to bush, 
and her partner would begin to sing, as if to 
coax her back again. This soon put all to 
rights, and the nest-making would go on with 
fresh ardour. 
At the end of three days, the bottom of the 
nest was made quite firm by being pressed, 
and the birds began to raise the walls. They 
piled tufts of cotton one upon the other ; 
and pressed and beat them down, until they 
were as hard and firm as cloth. If any piece 
projected, they would lace it in, with their 
beaks, until the wall was flat again. They 
also laced in the small branches that grew 
