a log.
Then one of them ventures to alight upon the nest, but, still
suspecting all is not right, quickly darts away again. Then they both
together come, and after much peeping and spying about, and apparently
much anxious consultation, cautiously proceed to work. In less than
half an hour it would seem that wool enough has been brought to supply
the whole family, real and prospective, with socks, if needles and
fingers could be found fine enough to knit it up. In less than a week
the female has begun to deposit her eggs,--four of them in as many
days,--white tinged with purple, with black spots on the larger end.
After two weeks of incubation the young are out.

Excepting the American goldfinch, this bird builds later in the season
than any other,--its nest, in our northern climate, seldom being
undertaken until July. As with the goldfinch, the reason is, probably,
that suitable food for the young cannot be had at an earlier period.

Like most of our common species, as the robin, sparrow, bluebird,
pewee, wren, etc., this bird sometimes seeks wild, remote localities
in which to rear its young; at others, takes up its abode near that of
man. I knew a pair of cedar-birds, one season, to build in an
apple-tree, the branches of which rubbed against the house. For a day
or two before the first straw was laid, I noticed the pair carefully
exploring every branch of the tree, the female taking the lead, the
male following her with an anxious note and look. It was evident that
the wife was to have her choice this time; and like one who thoroughly
knew her mind, she was proceeding to take it. Finally the site was
chosen, upon a high branch, extending over one low wing of the house.
Mutual congratulations and caresses followed, when both birds flew
away in quest of building material. That most freely used is a sort of
cotton-bearing plant which grows in old wornout fields. The nest is
large for the size of the bird, and very soft. It is in every respect
a first-class domicile.

On another occasion, while walking or rather sauntering in the woods
(for I have discovered that one cannot run and read the book of
nature), my attention was arrested by a dull hammering, evidently but
a few rods off. I said to myself, "Some one is building a house." From
what I had previously seen, I suspected the builder to be a red-headed
woodpecker in the top of a dead oak stub near by. Moving cautiously in
that direction, I perceived a round hole