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IDYLLS OF BIRD LIFE ■ 
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into a stubble patch and later into a deep woods, a half mile 
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from their former home. Indications showed that they had 
not used the nest after being hatched. I had never observed 
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this strange habit of desertion up to this time, although it 
actually happens according to the eminent ornithologists. 
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V. .1 lost sight of the bevy while in the woods, owing to the 
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thick impenetrable undergrowth of wild rose, sweet brier and 
numerous other growths. The work of this day, tramping 
through thorny bushes, crouching behind weeds hours at a time, 
a prey to all mosquitoes and other insects of the neighborhood, 
with a scorching sun beating down upon one from a cloudless 
sky, brought its reward. But this could hardly be called pleas¬ 
ure, for all was just a small part of a wonderful study, and the 
compensation is more than ample to one who loves Nature. 
On my next call to this Bob White family 1 spent a half 
day in locating them, but I finally found the brood along a nar¬ 
row stream about a mile from their former location. The young 
birds were about two-thirds grown by this time and were all 
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well feathered. I did not see Mrs. Bob White and I presume 
she was busy incubating her second set of eggs, which in this 
locality is not an unusual occurrence. Upon my approach Mr 
Bob White uttered a low warning whistle and instantly th 
•jf i! !\a' i W/1fit hi. \ .Mk 
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