FINDING NATURE’S TREASURES 147 
“Those are bunches of seed from the Poverty Weed,” 
her uncle told her. 
“There is some cotton all through the nest, too,” Mary- 
lee added. “The inside is lined with cotton. These birds 
like a soft nest, don’t they?” 
“Yes,” Uncle Jack answered. “They are beautiful 
birds and they have a pretty nest and eggs. You should 
come down now. The birds don’t like to have you so close 
to their home.” 
The children climbed down from the tree. When they 
had gone a little distance from the tree, they saw a 
hawk flying over it. 
“That hawk is hunting for his dinner,” said Buddy. 
“I do hope he doesn’t find Mr. and Mrs. Scissor-tail’s 
nest,” said Marylee. 
“He had better keep away from those scissor-tails,” 
said Uncle Jack. 
They stopped and watched the hawk flying above the 
tree where the nest was. 
“Hawks catch and eat small animals and birds,” said 
Uncle Jack. “But the scissor-tails are not afraid to 
fight hawks who come too near.” 
“There they go after the hawk now,” said Buddy. 
Mother and Father Scissor-tail flew upward at the 
hawk, screaming as they flew. The hawk was much 
larger than the scissor-tails, but they did not seem to be 
afraid of him. Mr. Scissor-tail flew up above the hawk, 
and then he came down right upon the hawk’s back. He 
held on to the hawk’s feathers with his feet and pecked 
and pecked with his sharp bill. The hawk flew fast, 
