110 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
the sun and rain by a natural pent- house or canopy 
of leaves. 
“‘The birds of this species have all a common 
form of building, but they do not build in exactly 
the same manner. Great differences will be found in 
the style, neatness, and finishing of the nest. Some 
birds are much better workmen than others. So 
anxious is the Baltimore to procure proper materials 
for his nest that the women in the country must nar- 
rowly watch the linen thread that may be bleach- 
ing, and the farmer must secure his young grafts, 
as this bird will carry off the former, and also the 
strings that tie the latter, to serve his purposes in 
building.’ 
“ Sometimes funny things happen in connection 
with these oriole nests ; and once a female was seen 
to carry off to her nest a piece of lampwick ten or 
twelve feet long. This long string and many shorter 
ones were left hanging out for about a week before 
'both the ends were wattled into the sides of the nest. 
Some little birds, who were using similar materials 
in their building, found these hanging ends particu- 
larly tempting, and occasionally twitched at them as 
they passed ; this always brought out the busy builder 
from her work in great anger. She scolded, too, if 
she was watched too closely ; and she was about a 
week altogether in making her nest. Once a person 
