quite the same after one has
heard that note. The past spring the males came about a week in advance
of the females. A fine male lingered about my grounds and orchard all
that time, apparently awaiting the arrival of his mate. He called and
warbled every day, as if he felt sure she was within earshot and could
be hurried up. Now he warbled half angrily or upbraidingly; then
coaxingly; then cheerily and confidently, the next moment in a plaintive
and far-away manner. He would half open his wings, and twinkle them
caressingly as if beckoning his mate to his heart. One morning she had
come, but was shy and reserved. The fond male flew to a knot-hole in an
old apple-tree and coaxed her to his side. I heard a fine confidential
warble--the old, old story. But the female flew to a near tree and
uttered her plaintive, homesick note. The male went and got some dry
grass or bark in his beak and flew again to the hole in the old tree,
and promised unremitting devotion; but the other said "Nay," and flew
away in the distance. When he saw her going, or rather heard her distant
note, he dropped his stuff and cried out in a tone that said plainly
enough, "Wait a minute: one word, please!" and flew swiftly in pursuit.
He won her before long, however, and early in April the pair were
established in one of the four or five boxes I had put up for them, but
not until they had changed their minds several times. As soon as the
first brood had flown, and while they were yet under their parents'
care, they began to nest in one of the other boxes, the female as usual
doing all the work and the male all the complimenting. A source of
occasional great distress to the mother-bird was a white cat that
sometimes followed me about. The cat had never been known to catch a
bird, but she had a way of watching them that was very embarrassing to
the bird. Whenever she appeared, the mother bluebird set up that pitiful
melodious plaint. One morning the cat was standing by me, when the bird
came with her beak loaded with building material, and alighted above me
to survey the place before going into the box. When she saw the cat she
was greatly disturbed, and in her agitation could not keep her hold upon
all her material. Straw after straw came eddying down, till not half her
original burden remained. After the cat had gone away the bird's alarm
subsided; till presently, seeing the coast clear, she flew quickly to
the box and pitched in her remaining straws wi