240 The Irish NatmalisL September, 



the nest. The cock was much more timid ; he sat on a rose 

 bush outside the window and conversed from a safe distance. 

 During the hatching of the eggs the hen did not sit con- 

 stantly ; for instance, one day she was observed flying out at 

 7.30 a.m., she came in again at 7.40; she went out again at 

 8.35, and returned at 8.40 ; left her nest a third time at 8.50, 

 and came back at 8.55. I^ater on she was seen going out at 

 10 o'clock and coming in at 10.10; out at 11.20; back at 11.55, 

 and out again at 12.2. The record of when she returned 

 after 12.2 was not kept, but this account of one morning's 

 flittings is enough to show that the duties of hatching are not 

 as onerous as might be expected. 



The little birds made their appearance on the 27th May, 

 thirteen days after the hen began really to sit. And now it 

 was observed that after the first few days, during which time 

 they appeared to get but little food, the three young ones were 

 fed five times an hour, and later on six times an hour. The 

 cock had overcome his fears by this time, and took upon him- 

 self his full share in the duties of feeding the family. 



At last, on the 9th June, one nestling was found fluttering 

 in a bewildered manner on the schoolroom floor ; it seemed to. 

 have its intentions fixed on the outside world, as it always 

 made for a window (of which there were three) and looked up 

 longingly to the light. Eventually we picked it up and put 

 it back into the nest and that night was passed in safety. The 

 next day, however, all the nestlings fluttered and tumbled out 

 of their nursery, and we all spent a restless and unhappy day 

 rescuing them from the back of the piano, the back of the door, 

 or the passage outside the room, and we saw one achieve a 

 flight to the sill of the open window. The hen bird was in a 

 great state of excitement all day ; whether she was pleased or 

 annoyed with the proceedings of the young ones it was hard 

 to make out ; she continued to feed them wherever she could 

 find them, and she never ceased chirping, scolding, fluttering, 

 and darting in and out from morning till night. On one 

 occasion she was seen flying into the room with a large lump 

 of bread ; she went straight to the nest and found it deserted ; 

 she was evidently startled and gave a little anxious cry, and 

 being answered by a melancholy little cheep from the floor, 

 down she flew to the little one, who advanced to meet her with 



