ry cup. Few nests are more beautiful
and at the same time more durable than a vireo's. I have seen the nests of
three successive years in the same tree, all built, no doubt, by the same
pair of birds, the nest of the past summer perfect in shape and quality,
that of the preceding year threadbare, while the home which sheltered the
brood of three summers ago is a mere flattened skeleton, reminding one of
the ribs and stern post of a wrecked boat long pounded by the waves.

The subject of nests has been sadly neglected by naturalists, most of whom
have been chiefly interested in the owners or the contents; but when the
whys and wherefores of the homes of birds are made plain we shall know far
more concerning the little carpenters, weavers, masons, and basket-makers
who hang our groves and decorate our shrubbery with their skill. When on
our winter's walk we see a distorted, wind-torn, grass cup, think of the
quartet of beautiful little creatures, now flying beneath some tropical
sun, which owe their lives to the nest, and which, if they are spared,
will surely return to the vicinity next summer.

That time of year thou may'st in me behold,
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,--
Bare, ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
SHAKESPEARE.

LESSONS FROM AN ENGLISH SPARROW

Many people say they love Nature, but as they have little time to go into
the country they have to depend on books for most of their information
concerning birds, flowers, and other forms of life. There is, however, no
reason why one should not, even in the heart of a great city, begin to
cultivate his powers of observation. Let us take, for example, the
omnipresent English sparrow. Most of us probably know the difference
between the male and female English sparrows, but I venture to say that
not one in ten persons could give a satisfactory description of the
colours of either. How much we look and how little we really see!

Little can be said in favour of the English sparrows' disposition, but let
us not blame them for their unfortunate increase in numbers. Man brought
them from England, where they are kept in check by Nature's wise laws.
These birds were deliberately introduced where Nature was not prepared for
them.

When we put aside prejudice we can see that the male bird, especially when
in