A Nest Full of Eggs

A Nest Full of EGGS

Listen. " Cheer-up, cheer-up, cheer-up. " That is the song of a robin. It must be spring! Up in a tree outside my window, a pair of American robins is very busy. They are gathering dry weeds and twigs. They work carefully but quickly. It is almost time.

The female weaves the weedsand twigs together with bits ofmud that dry like glue. She adds more mud, pressing itwith her breast into a cup shape. Then she lines the bottom ofthe cup with a bed of soft grasses. There. The nest is strong, safe, and snug. Now it is ready.

Over the next few days, the female robin lays four beautiful blueeggs in the nest. She is sitting on the nest now, keeping the eggswarm. Her mate is close by. He sings loudly, warning other robins tostay away.

Inside each egg is a tiny new life. It is growing veryfast. The yellow yolk is its liquid food. The clear albumen, which we call the" white" of an egg, is its watery cushion. Day after day, the mother robin sits on the eggs, patiently waiting.

After three days, the life beginsto look like a head, a backbone, aheart, and eyes. Already the heartis beating. After five days, a beak, twowings, two legs, and a tail aretaking shape. It is beginning tolook like a baby bird in there. After about eight days, the robin is completely formed, right down to its toes. By the twelfth day, the robinhas grown so big, it is squeezedinside the egg. It has used up allthe food and space.