Most birds build each one alone, but in Africa the weaver-bird lives in colonies. The nests are built like very large wasps’ nests. Sometimes one or two hundred birds will build in one place. They make a roof for the nest. I began by telling you of very little nests. I will end by telling you of a very big nest. I saw the nest of a fishing eagle, in a great pine-tree. The nest was built of large sticks. It was nearly as large as a half barrel. The tree was dead. A tree always dies when an eagle builds in it. This nest was more like a great rough platform than a nest. It had a wall of sticks about it to keep the little eaglets from falling out before their feathers grew. FOOTNOTES: [26] The cuckoo in England lays in the nests of _other birds. The American cuckoo does not._ [27] The cow-bird is also called the cow-bunting. LESSON XXXIII. THE BIRD AT HOME. [Illustration: THE KING OF THE TREE.] You have now seen the bird building a nest, and you have seen the finished nest. Let us take a little look at the bird at home. Let us have a peep at the family life of birds. The mother-bird lays two, four, six, or more eggs in her nest. Each kind of bird has its own kind of eggs. The wood-pigeon has a pure white egg; the blackbird’s egg is a bluish green, with russet spots; the cuckoo’s egg is of a yellowish tint with red and brown marks; the kingfisher’s egg is yellow with orange spots; the robin’s egg is a lovely greenish blue. Some eggs have purple spots, some are brown with red spots. Each bird knows its own eggs. Sometimes a lazy cow-bird puts her eggs in the nest of a wren or bluebird, while that bird is away looking for food. When the bird comes home, she knows at once the strange egg in her nest. She scolds and cries. But, in the end, she takes care of it. When eggs are put into a nest in this way, it is the strange egg which thrives. The cow-bird hatches before the eggs among which it lies. Then the mother-bird at once begins to feed her adopted child, and her own eggs are left and do not hatch. The young cuckoo is so big and strong that it pushes its foster brothers and sisters out of the nest, and lives there alone. The good mother-bird, perhaps only a little sparrow, tires herself out bringing insects for the wide-open beak of her big, greedy child. The mother-bird is very patient all the long days, or weeks, while she must sit brooding her eggs. If you go near her, she may fly off, or she may cower close over her eggs, and look at you in a very timid way. I am sure you will hurry past, and not terrify the dear little thing. When the mother-bird must go away, to stretch her wings in flight, or to get food, the father-bird takes her place. While she is on the nest, he often brings her something good to eat. He sits on some branch near and sings to her. He watches to see if any snake or squirrel, or other enemy, is coming near. Then he often flies down, and scolds, or pecks at the foe to drive it off.