"Oh, handsome is as handsome does," returned Mrs. Wren, "as our landlady says. But you can't deny that he makes my cousin a good husband. It is very foolish for them to boast so, for they can only occupy one house at a time, and surely they have to earn their food by searching for insects and worms, precisely as we do. Then, too, riches take wings sometimes, and fly away, and as I told one of my neighbors the other day, I am just as happy in this old tin pot as I would be on top of the highest pole." "How glad I am to hear you say that," returned Mr. Wren, tears glistening in his little black eyes, "for there can be no true happiness without contentment--as our landlord says. Dear little mate! Fourteen days you must sit on the nest. How tired you will be!" "Oh, I don't mind that," replied Mrs. Wren, "if only our birdlings hatch out pretty and good. Once in a while I will fly off for a little exercise, you know, and, like Mr. John, you will take my place on the nest and keep the eggs warm." "Oh!" exclaimed Mr. Wren, ruefully; "I hadn't calculated on doing that. But we will see. I'm off, now, to get something to eat, and will fetch you as delicious a spider or nice fat canker worm as I can find. Ta, ta, love!" and off Mr. Wren flew to the orchard, singing as he went. SUMMARY. Page 86. =BLACK DUCK.=--_Anas obscura._ Other name: "Dusky Duck." RANGE--North America; breeds from Illinois and New Jersey to Hudson Bay and Labrador; winters southward to the Greater Antilles. NEST--On the ground, in grass or rushes in the neighborhood of ponds, pools, and streams. EGGS--Eight to twelve, pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy buff. ---- Page 90. =WILSON'S PETREL.=--_Oceanites oceanicus._ RANGE--Atlantic Ocean; breeds in southern seas (Kerguelen Island) and migrates northward, spending the summer off our coasts. NEST--In the crevices of rocks. EGG--One, white. ---- Page 94. =BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER.=--_Polioptila caerulea._ RANGE--Eastern United States; breeds from the Gulf States to northern Illinois, southern Ontario and New Jersey, and wanders rarely to Minnesota and Maine; winters from Florida southward. NEST--Of fine strips of bark and fine grasses firmly interwoven and covered with lichens, on branch or in crotch of tree, ten to sixty feet up. EGGS--Four or five, bluish white, thickly spotted and speckled with brown. ---- Page 98. =AMERICAN COOT.=--_Fulica Americana._ Other names: "Mud-hen," "Crow Duck," "Blue Peter." RANGE--North America as far north as Alaska and New Brunswick and Greenland; breeds throughout its range. NEST--Of reeds and grasses, among reeds in fresh water marshes. EGGS--Eight to fifteen, pale, buffy white, speckled with chocolate on black. ---- Page 102. =IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER.=--_Campephilus principalis._