his I was assured, and found it true of those I
observed.) These little episodes in his life kept the pine-tree bird
from dullness, while his mate was engaged in the top of the tall pine,
where, by the way, he went now and then to see how she was getting on.
Sometimes his spouse received him amiably, but occasionally, I regret to
say, I heard a "huff" from the nest that said plainly, "Don't you touch
those eggs!" And what was amusing, he acknowledged her right to dictate
in the matter, and meekly took his departure. Whenever she came down for
a lunch, he saw her instantly, and was ready for a frolic. He dropped to
the grass near her, and they usually indulged in a lively romp, chasing
each other over and through the trees, across the yard, around the
garden, and back to the lawn, where she went on with her eating, and he
resumed his singing.

While I was watching the pine-tree household, the other nest, in the top
of a low, flat-topped cedar, perhaps twenty-five feet high, and
profusely fringed with Spanish moss, became of even more interest. I
could not see into the nest, for there was no building high enough to
overlook it, but I could see the bird when he stood upon the edge.
Sitting, in a warm climate, is not particularly close work. Although the
weather was cool, yet when the sun was out the sitter left her nest from
six to eight minutes at a time, and as often as once in twenty minutes.
Of course in rain she had not so much liberty, and on some days left
only when her mate was ready to take her place, which he frequently did.

On the ninth day of my watching (I had not seen the beginning of the
sitting), the 3d of May, I found work was over and the youngsters were
out. There was much excitement in the cedar-tree, but in a quiet way; in
fact, the birds became so silent and so wary in approaching the nest
that it required the closest watching to see them go or come, and only
occasionally could I detect any food in the beak. I discovered very soon
that mocking-bird babies are brought up on hygienic principles, and have
their meals with great regularity. For some time both parents were
exceedingly busy, going and coming almost constantly; then there came a
rest of a half hour or more, during which no food was brought. Each bird
had its own way of coming to the tree. Madam came over the roof of the
cottage where I sat, and was exposed to view for only a few feet, over
which she passed so quickly and silently that I had