IDYLLS OF BIRD LIFE 
plainly the work of woodcock in search of angleworms, their 
staple food. I also flushed two birds in this swamp. 
About four days later I was at the woodcock’s home bright 
and early. The eggs were uncovered and I found four this time, 
^proving Jth'at the set had not been completed at the time of my 
first visit to the nest. The female bird was probably down at 
mp getting a breakfast of angleworms. I carefully hid 
^myself behind a thick clump of bare saplings about ten feet 
away and awaited her return. In about half an hour she came 
C .--sailing-,over the field and into the woods. Alighting near the 
ml&t she looked at the eggs, then, turning them over with her 
long bijlpquietly settled upon them, assuming her task of incu- 
bation. ~On the edge of the woods I flushed a male, probably 
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the mate of the nesting bird. Thev are always to be seen near 
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faithful brown-eyed little wives. 
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This particular morning was a glorious one. The resurrec- 
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X tion of Spring was at hand. The trees were beginning to assume 
^ a greenishTint and early vernal flowers were nodding to th 
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winds. The Spring migrants on their way north, paused inY=£ 
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their feeding among the trees long enough to render sweet ...v 
es of song, that always ihelp to gladden the hearts of all 
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