actory, as far as it went. One of the birds came
with big tufts of stiff moss sticking out from either side of its bill
like great mustachios, and going up to the nest, handed them to its
mate--actually something big enough for a person to see, once! Whatever
had been the birds' first feeling as to which should put the bricks in
the wall, it was all settled now, and the little helpmate flew off
singing out such a happy good-by it made one feel like writing a sermon
on the moral effect of renunciation. After that I was sure the little
helper fed his (?) mate on the nest, again singing out good-by as he
flitted away. Once when he (?) brought material he found her (?) busy
with what she had, and so went to the other end of the branch, and
waited till she was ready for it, when he flew back and gave it to her.

It was a real delight to watch the little blue-grays at their work. Once
as one of them started to fly away--I am sure this was she--she suddenly
stopped to look back at the nest as if to think what she wanted to get
next; or, perhaps, just to get the effect of her work at a distance, as
an artist walks away from his painting; or as any mother bird would stop
to admire the pretty nest that was to hold her little brood. Another
time one of the gnats,--I was sure this was he,--having driven off an
enemy, flipped his tail by the nest with a paternal air of satisfaction.
The birds made one especially pretty picture; the little pair stood
facing each other close to the nest, and the sun, filtering through the
green leaves over their heads, touched them gently as they lingered near
their home.

One morning when a gnat was in the nest a leaf blew down past it,
startling it so it hopped out in such a hurry that the first I knew it
was seated beneath the nest, flashing its tail.

Back and forth the dainty pair flew across the space of blue sky between
the oak and the brush. They went so fast and carried so little it seemed
as if they might have made their heads save their heels--they brought so
little I couldn't see that they brought anything; but I feel delicate
about telling what I know about nest-making, and it may be that this was
just the secret of the wonderfully compact solid walls of the nest; a
little at a time, and that drilled in to stay.

When one of the small builders flew down near me--within two yards--for
material, I felt greatly pleased and flattered. Her mate warned her, but
she paid no particular attenti