The bluebird usually builds its nest in a hole in a stump or stub, or
in an old cavity excavated by a woodpecker, when such can be had; but
its first impulse seems to be to start in the world in much more
style, and the happy pair make a great show of house-hunting about the
farm buildings, now half persuaded to appropriate a dove-cote, then
discussing in a lively manner a last year's swallow nest, or
proclaiming with much flourish and flutter that they have taken the
wren's house, or the tenement of the purple martin; till finally
nature becomes too urgent, when all this pretty make-believe ceases,
and most of them settle back upon the old family stumps and knotholes
in remote fields, and go to work in earnest.

In such situations the female is easily captured by approaching very
stealthily and covering the entrance to the nest. The bird seldom
makes any effort to escape, seeing how hopeless the case is, and keeps
her place on the nest till she feels your hand closing around her. I
have looked down into the cavity and seen the poor thing palpitating
with fear and looking up with distended eyes, but never moving till I
had withdrawn a few paces; then she rushes out with a cry that brings
the male on the scene in a hurry. He warbles and lifts his wings
beseechingly, but shows no anger or disposition to scold and complain
like most birds. Indeed, this bird seems incapable of uttering a harsh
note, or of doing a spiteful, ill-tempered thing.

The ground-builders all have some art or device to decoy one away from
the nest, affecting lameness, a crippled wing, or a broken back,
promising an easy capture if pursued. The tree-builders depend upon
concealing the nest or placing it beyond reach. But the bluebird has
no art either way, and its nest is easily found.

About the only enemies of the sitting bird or the nest is in danger of
are snakes and squirrels. I knew of a farm-boy who was in the habit of
putting his hand down into a bluebird's nest and taking out the old
bird whenever he came that way. One day he put his hand in, and,
feeling something peculiar, withdrew it hastily, when it was instantly
followed by the head of an enormous black snake. The boy took to his
heels and the snake gave chase, pressing him close till a plowman near
by came to the rescue with his ox-whip.

There never was a happier or more devoted husband than the male
bluebird is. But among nearly all our familiar birds the serious cares
of life se