I wonder what they are saying ?" "They are talking about housekeeping," said the Doctor.

"Some of the ladies say they prefer high apartments in a tree-top, while others like one-story bushes the best; but all agree that the ground floor is too damp for the health of their families.

In a few days, or a week at most, this merry flock will have parted company, and two by two the birds will begin housekeeping." "Why, they are pulling off the thistle-down, and gobbling it up.

I should think it would choke them," said Dodo.
"Those are some of the fly-away seeds that Rap spoke of a moment ago.
The fluff is not the seed, but a sort of sail to which the seed is fastened, that the wind may blow it away to another place to grow.

If you look carefully you will see that the birds do not eat thistle-down, but only the seed; they will soon use the down to line their pretty round cup-shaped nests." "Oh, yes," said Dodo, "there are lots of fluffy seeds, and they mostly belong to very bad weeds.