File:A-birding on a bronco (1896) (14563664149).jpg

Identifier: abirdingonbronco00bail (find matches)
Title: A-birding on a bronco
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Bailey, Florence Augusta (Merriam), 1863-
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton, Mifflin
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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One ofthe boys of the valley told me about seeing aracer snake go into a bush-tits pocket. The criesof the birds rallied several other pairs, and theyall flew about in distress, though not one of themdared touch the dreadful tail that hung out ofthe nest hole. As the snake was about three feetlong, the pocket bulged as it moved around inside.There were four nestlings about a quarter grown,and the relentless creature devoured them all.The boy waited below with a stick, and when itcame out, killed it and shook it by the tail tillthe small birds popped out of its mouth. If mybroken eggshell pointed to any such tragedy, itcleared the birds of the accusation of being poorbuilders. The nest, which the first day was a filmy spotin the leaves, by the next day had become agray pocket over eight inches long, although Icould still see daylight through it. In working,the birds flew to the top of the open bag andhopped down inside. I could see the pocketshake and bulge as they worked within. When
Text Appearing After Image:
POCKET NEST IN AN OAK POCKET MAKERS. 109 they flew away to any distance, on their returnthey almost always came with their little call ofschrit, schrit. This nest was so low that I used to throw my-self on the sand beneath the tree to watch it, tak-ing many a sunbath there, with hat drawn downtill I could just see the nest in the pendentbranches, and watch the changing mosaics madeby the sky through the moving leaves. Whenresting on the sand the thought of rattlesnakescame to me, for the brush on either side was ashelter for them, and they might easily havecrept up beside me without my hearing them. The second bush-tits nest was shorter than thefirst one. Perhaps the builders thought thelength had something to do with the fall of thefirst; or perhaps they did nt feel like collectingthree hundred more feathers, with oak blossomsand moss to match. They first put the frame ofthe front door below the supporting cross twig,and then, as if they thought it needed more sup-port, changed it an

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