Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
SOngsters BY Brook and Meadow

colors for conceament, for it is not till have
drawn near enough to have touched her. and
lust when my attention. for an instant was
given. to dozen blood-thirsty mosquitoes did
she, fly off to begin her scolding.
None of the young birds are missing. -Four
voracious, wide-open mouths are upfifted to
receive the insect morsels.
lheir necks are hardly strong enough yet
to support the large, heavy, shot-eyed heads,
that, in their strained, ill-balanced positions.
wobble about blindly for a moment and then
SINK down IN the bottom of the nest, am ex-
hansted and papitating mass.
The male, that was so brave at first is now
not seen. A mean, worthless fellow thus to
fly, away at the least sign of danger. Indeed,
s I oelieVe this lgnotie trait is Characteristic
honeymoon, to-besure, but taking no part in
the house-bulding, and leaving the trial of in
cubation and the care and support of the
young entirely to the devoted mothers
His near relative, the redeyed vireo. is
strongly suspected of this irresponsible manner
OF getting through the season. His low con
tented pre- rec, pre- REQ, pre- r.e-e-e, high up in
Lne orahcnes OF the trees, is heard as though
he had not a thought even of his hungry wife.
nov confined to her eggs, down there in the
willow.
The, heavy showers, and the cold 'sheep
sgorh H that comes to New England early in
June, must be a trying season to the mother
birds and nestlings
After an unusually severe storm of wind and
ram, was curious to know what disasters
iau loheH ou MY Clrcie or teathered acQuaint-
ances.
those three young song-sparrows at the edge
let the sedge tussock must have felt the cold
water rising under them, for the little pools
IN Iao nne vIclmty haye hardly subsidized, yet they
seem very comfortable. The naked, awkward
6aples 6a,1 OF week ago are now hedgelings, and
nlhng the nest to the brim appear ready. at
the least disturbances to ,sa tbo; t, Y a
wings. WIN ie0
Further, on, in bramble patch. a yellow
warbler that had half completed a Gun in a
whorl of twigs suspended operations on the
stormy day; The cottony nest-linng stuff was
soaked, and the peting rain had beaten down
the sides; but as look on the demolished nest.
the, builder chips sharply in a neigh borin1
bush, showing that she still holds the site i5
remembrance 'ie '''e ia
-, The redstart in the cedar out-rode the pale.
The nest on the outside is sodden. hut the
shelterlng wings and back and the heat of the
brave little body have kept the eggs and inner
structure dry and warm
How the vireo, in her hammock on the will
low has been beaten about for the mast twen-
ty-four hours! II seems impossible for sucb
a, wee bit of feathers to have kent her nrecious
charge, SO long uninjured; but here is the an
parently fragile sack; with only stay or two
parted and few tatters hanging loosely at
the bottom, herself sitting in the cavity with
all the determination of the material will.
1t was for just such emergencies as this that
the strongest and best material was chosen for
lasnlng TO the twigs the pendent nest. Small
roots, diligently searched for; tough grasses
ested, and spiders. webs, twisted many times
these with her faithful workmanship. have
given her confidence.