By the side of this road I found the little vireo's nest which you see in the picture. It was about five feet from the ground, and hung near the end of a long branch. It was interesting to find out what it was made of,--grasses, strips of bark, hair, pine needles, plant fibres, and bits of paper. On the outside were lichens and spiders' webs. The pieces of paper were dropped along the way, I think, by the leader in a cross-country run. Even the little vireos have an interest in the outdoor sports of the college men. [Illustration: _Fig. 330. The vireo's nest._] One of the most interesting bird homes is the oriole's nest. Uncle John will like to know whether you find one. The young orioles must have happy times in their cradle, which hangs between the earth and the sky. Winter is the best time of year to hunt for birds' nests. It is hard to find them in the spring and the summer. The parent birds intend it shall be. If you succeed in getting a nest, take it into the school room so that the other members of your club can study it with you. SUGGESTIONS. Where did you find the nest? What is its size and shape? Name it, if you can. Was it built on the horizontal crotch of the branch, or on an upright crotch? How was it fastened to the branch? Notice the materials of which it is made. [Illustration: _Fig. 331. The hanging nest of the oriole. A cord is woven into the nest._] In the oriole's nest you will see that there is a difference in the way in which the upper and lower parts are made. What is it? How deep is the oriole's nest which you find? Compare the material on the outside with that on the inside. How is the nest fastened to the twigs? Where does a catbird build its nest? Robin? Bluebird? Swallow? Hen? Turkey? [Illustration: _What?_] LEAFLET LXIX. THE POULTRY YARD: SOME THANKSGIVING LESSONS.[90] BY ALICE G. MCCLOSKEY and JAMES E. RICE. [90] Extended from Junior Naturalist Monthly, November, 1902. [Illustration] A rosy-cheeked girl, a freckled-faced boy and a little bald-headed baby were the only young persons at the Thanksgiving dinner. The baby was not old enough to be invited, but we were so thankful to have her with us that we could not resist drawing her chair up to the table. The turkey was a big one and "done to a turn." We old folks thought so, the freckled-faced boy thought so, and the rosy-cheeked girl thought so. The baby, so far as I could judge, thought not at all. She chewed energetically on a spoon and left the discussion of the turkey to her elders. Having known for a long time that children like to chatter, I decided that I would give the little lad and lassie opposite me an opportunity to talk about turkeys, ducks, chickens, and the like. "These," thought I, "are good Thanksgiving topics, and a boy and girl who have lived on a farm all their lives can tell me some interesting things about them."