n less
than two minutes she came back with her mate. They alighted upon a
bough near the jar, and it was plain that they were confabulating
together, and that she was urging him to go in and look at the place
she had chosen for her nursery. Her mate looked very wise and grave,
as much as to say, 'My dear, we must not be too hasty. We must
choose this home of ours with great care. Too much of our happiness
depends upon this step to allow of any mistake'; he then flew upon
the outside of the jar, and went through just the same ceremonies
that his better half had performed before, only he was still more
deliberate and cautious about entering. At last, he flew in, and, in
a short time, appeared again, and alighted on a branch near the jar
by the side of his dear mate. There they conversed together in their
bird language for some time, as plainly to me as if they had spoken
good English. 'This,' said he, 'is a nice large comfortable place,
my dear. That great house is rather too near, to be sure, but I am
well informed that its inhabitants, and those of all this
neighborhood, will never molest us. Last year, the cherry birds ate
up all the cherries in all the gardens around here, and not one of
the thieves received the slightest harm. We will, I think, begin our
work immediately, and make a nice soft bed for our young to rest in
when we shall be so happy as to have any.' This, I am sure, was the
result of their confab, for directly they began to pick up hay, and
furze, and feathers, and every soft thing they could find, and carry
them into the jar.

The male bird, which I knew by the greater brightness of his
plumage, and his more slender form, seemed to be fondest of bringing
sticks, one of which was too long for the mouth of the jar to admit.
It was very amusing to witness his efforts to get the stick in; but
it would not do; the stick fell to the ground. All day long, these
pretty creatures were busy at their work; one usually watched while
the other was in the jar arranging the nest for their expected
brood. In about a week, it was evident that their work was
completed, for they carried in no more sticks or dried grass. They
were gone a great part of the day, I suppose playing, after so much
hard work, but they returned at evening. Some one in the
neighborhood fired a gun. This scared the bluebirds so that they
staid away for two whole days; and, when they returned, it was
amusing to see how timidly they entered their