86 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
of the house, stable, and weeping willow, that she 
might hear him ; but, seeing no appearance of her, 
he returned once more, visited the nest, ventured 
cautiously into the window, gazed about with sus- 
picious looks, his voice sinking to a low, melancholy 
note as he stretched his little neck about in every 
direction. Returning to the box, he seemed for some 
minutes at a loss what to do, and soon after went off, 
as I thought, altogether, for I saw him no more that 
day. 
“ ‘ Toward the afternoon of the second day he again 
made his appearance, accompanied by a new female, 
who seemed exceedingly timorous and shy, and who 
after great hesitation entered the box; at this mo- 
ment the little widower or bridegroom seemed as if 
he would warble out his very life with ecstasy of 
joy. After remaining about half a minute in, they 
both flew off, but returned in a few minutes, and in- 
stantly began to carry out the eggs, feathers, and 
some of the sticks, supplying the place of the two 
latter with materials of the same sort, and ultimately 
succeeded in raising a brood of seven young, all of 
which escaped in safety/ ” 
“ That w r as a smart little bird,” commented Mal- 
colm. 
“ Wasn’t it funny for him to go and find another 
mother for the little eggs ?” asked Clara. 
