OUR HOME BIRDS. 
241 
of various shades of black, and the large end has a 
dull purple tinge, marked also with touches of pur- 
ple and black. 
“ ‘ It is a singular fact that the cedar-bird, although 
one of the earliest of our visitors, is probably the 
last to commence the important business of incu- 
bation, thousands of young birds of other species 
having left their nests before it has begun to build. 
They seem also to have less regard for the safety of 
their young than most birds, as the nest is placed in 
a low horizontal branch of an apple tree ; and when 
approached the bird flies off without any manifesta- 
tion of concern/ 
“I am sorry to say that the young cedar-birds 
in their nest sometimes seem to be much neglected 
and to be left in want of food ; and one of them 
cried so loud and plaintively to a Baltimore bird on 
the same tree that he began to^ feed it. Another is 
mentioned w 7 ho frequented the front of a house in 
quest of honeysuckle-berries, and at length, on re- 
ceiving food — being probably abandoned by his rov- 
ing parents — threw himself wholly on the owner’s 
protection. Being at large day and night, he regu- 
larly attended the dinner-table for his portion of 
fruit at dessert, and remained steadfast in his affec- 
tion for his protector until killed by an accident, 
being unfortunately trodden under foot/ 5 
21 Q 
