th the greatest
precipitation, and without going in to arrange them as was her wont,
flew away in evident relief.

In the cavity of an apple-tree but a few yards off, and much nearer the
house than they usually build, a pair of high-holes, or golden-shafted
woodpeckers, took up their abode. A knot-hole which led to the decayed
interior was enlarged, the live wood being cut away as clean as a
squirrel would have done it. The inside preparations I could not
witness, but day after day as I passed near I heard the bird hammering
away, evidently beating down obstructions and shaping and enlarging the
cavity. The chips were not brought out, but were used rather to floor
the interior. The woodpeckers are not nest-builders, but rather
nest-carvers.

The time seemed very short before the voices of the young were heard in
the heart of the old tree,--at first feebly, but waxing stronger day by
day, until they could be heard many rods distant. When I put my hand
upon the trunk of the tree they would set up an eager, expectant
chattering; but if I climbed up it toward the opening, they soon
detected the unusual sound and would hush quickly, only now and then
uttering a warning note. Long before they were fully fledged they
clambered up to the orifice to receive their food. As but one could
stand in the opening at a time, there was a good deal of elbowing and
struggling for this position. It was a very desirable one, aside from
the advantages it had when food was served; it looked out upon the great
shining world, into which the young birds seemed never tired of gazing.
The fresh air must have been a consideration also, for the interior of a
high-hole's dwelling is not sweet. When the parent birds came with food,
the young one in the opening did not get it all; but after he had
received a portion, either on his own motion or on a hint from the old
one, he would give place to the one behind him. Still, one bird
evidently outstripped his fellows, and in the race of life was two or
three days in advance of them. His voice was the loudest and his head
oftenest at the window. But I noticed that when he had kept the position
too long, the others evidently made it uncomfortable in his rear, and
after "fidgeting" about awhile he would be compelled to "back down." But
retaliation was then easy, and I fear his mates spent few easy moments
at the outlook. They would close their eyes and slide back into the
cavity as if the world had suddenly