“Here,” said Charley, “I can do what I like, and make my litters without disturbing anybody.”

Not but that the room was orderly, otherwise Charley would never have been able to find his things when he wanted them.

He told Jack that he had already put up a box of birds’ eggs for him, with a list and description of the eggs in it.

[Illustration:  CHARLEY FOSTER’S COLLECTION. Page 68.]

“I’m tremendously obliged to you, I’m sure,” said Jack.

“Not at all,” said Charley; “I like to give to any one who really cares for such things:  besides, I’ve not been very generous, as I have only put in those eggs of which I have other specimens.  There are some very good sorts, though, in your box; for, you see, I’ve been collecting for some time.  Tom, I’ve got an owl’s egg for you, that white one, and two jay’s eggs—­dull green, speckled with olive brown.  Look here, too!  I’ve got a jay itself, which a farmer who lives near here shot and gave to me.  I’m going to try and stuff it.”

“What pretty blue and black wings it has!” said Jack.

“Yes; it’s a handsome but a very thievish bird.  It’s very clever, too, in imitating all kinds of sounds that it hears.  It will bleat like a lamb, mew like a cat, neigh like a horse, and imitate the sawing of wood exactly.”

“How are the red starts getting on?” asked Tom.

“All right,” said Charley; “the young birds are hatched now.”

Charley turned to Jack, and explained that there was a pair of red starts that had a nest just outside of the window of the room,—­“as you can see.”

Jack went to the window and saw in a hole of the low roof a little bluish-gray bird with a white crown sitting on a nest; and presently her mate came with his red tail wagging, bringing an insect in his beak.

Now Jack could see several little red starts poking out their heads from under their mother’s wings, all looking as if they wanted to be fed first.

“This is the third year that these red starts have built their nest in that hole,” said Charley.  “Before that, it seemed as if a pair of sparrows had looked upon the hole as belonging to them, for when the red starts first came there were a good many fights between them and the sparrows.

“One day when the hen red start was sitting, two sparrows made a dead set at her; and although she behaved in a very plucky manner, she was getting the worst of it.  She then uttered a peculiar cry, and her mate came to her help directly; and between them they drove off the sparrows.

“That seemed to be the final battle, for there were only a few trifling skirmishes after that, and the red starts have considered that hole their own private property ever since.”

Charley next showed Jack his collection of butterflies, moths, and beetles; and after the boys had finished looking at these beautiful and curious creatures, it was time for tea, so they went downstairs.