MUSCICAPA ATRICAPILLA 
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led the little brown hen warbling to the box, and when at last 
she consented to follow him within, came out ; while she re- 
mained in a while as if she were pondering what was needed 
to make the place habitable. She was often in too next day, 
not building, but entering on his eager invitation. When she 
was absent he remained about, calling or singing impatiently, 
or when present, he attended her and awaited her exit, either 
hanging to the box with spread tail pressed in (revealing the 
white edge of the feathers) or on a twig close by. It was 
pretty to see her pause at the entrance, with alert head, ready 
to shoot out. 
But there were other happy mated birds about, that some- 
times came into collision with this pair. These two had been 
accustomed in the previous year to use the river oak a great deal, 
both for feeding and for retirement from their own tree, which 
was more exposed to the road. But within the last week or ten 
days a gorgeous cock redstart had first been heard to sing hard 
by this oak, and then been seen to visit a nest-box placed 
against its trunk ; and now he had brought his timid, shadow-like 
hen to view it, and she had even begun to carry in bits of furnish- 
ing. So when our happy pair of pied birds resorted heedlessly 
to its branches, there flashed out upon them from some unseen 
perch a fiery creature of flame-like feathers, charging them, 
and even when the little hen proved mildly obstinate, chasing 
her well. 
They in their turn were intolerant of perchers in their tree. 
The cock attacked a starling, that naturally, being many times 
his size, stood its ground. Robin, titmice, and spotted fly- 
catchers were alike hustled, as well as a browny bird of their 
own species, possibly a nestling of last year. And later, when 
the hen had built and rarely left the tree, she had much trouble 
with sparrows, that came to gobble the tender leaf-buds of 
the scarlet oak just then unfolding. Though they too were 
obstinate, she never rested while they stayed. 
But this was later, and in her anxious, settled stage. At 
present she was coy and inconsequent ; would go off to feed by 
herself, leaving him to follow, and when he led her to the box 
would even remain perversely outside. He grew more than eager, 
even desperate, while she grew more reluctant. With garden birds 
all busy building — great titmouse, redstart, and even another 
pair of pied flycatchers settling in a distant box — why should his 
hen delay ? So desperate was he on the 6th that he was caught 
actually carrying a straw up to the box himself. However, he 
did not get it in, but dropped it at the entrance ! It was but 
a feint to encourage her ; and it succeeded, for directly after she 
carried something up herself. Next day she went seriously to 
work ; yet so reluctant and so nervous in building did she 
seem, that 1 wondered if she were a young, inexperienced hen? 
Or, if last year’s hen, did she resent the old nestrstuff being 
removed ? since this species frequently uses its old nest with 
