B1KD8 NESTS. 



143 



toms of resistance, when it occurred to my friend to inquire how often the 

 animal had been fed; — "once," replied the man acting for the ostler. "Oh! 

 then the mystery is explained; take him out immediately and give him the 

 other feed," which having been done, the horse was again put to the carriage, 

 and started off with all gaiety. 



Notwithstanding all the advantages of railway travelling, I cannot from 

 old associations help feeling some regret upon our gradual estrangement from 

 that noble animal the horse; instead of being mixed up, as was formerly 

 the case, with all our means of locomotion, we now only see him in the 

 cab or omnibus, a mere animated machine, fettered by harness and blinkered, 

 driven through his short existence, and slaughtered immediately accident 

 or disease impairs his physical powers or suggests the cost of cure to exceed 

 his working value. 



Weston Road, Bath. 



BIRDS' NESTS. 



BY 0. S. ROUND, ESQ. 

 ( Continued from page 131. ) 



The Swallow tribe are divided into two methods, for the Martin and 

 Swallow build one way, the Sand Martin and Swift another. The first, 

 everybody knows the mud spherical nest of, as it is stuck under the porch 

 or window-sill. The next is almost as well known, sometimes perched as 

 it is in chimneys, in barn-roofs, or the faces of cliffs, formed of mud and 

 straw, or bits of grass, lined with feathers, and containing its four or five 

 elegantly taper-shaped carnation-speckled eggs. On the other hand, the 

 Swift and Sand Martin are very careless architects, indeed it is pretty 

 certain that the Swift collects all its materials on the way, so that he has 

 not much choice, and is content with such feathers and hay as he takes in 

 this manner. The Bank Martin uses the same materials, but is so secure 

 at the end of h's subterranean retreat, that he needs little nest, for in such 

 a situation he must be almost uncomfortably warm, from the closeness. 

 Both these lay white eggs, the Swift only two, and seldom producing a 

 second brood, the Bank Martin usually bringing out two broods of some 

 half-dozen each. 



The Finches have a great similarity in constructing their nests; these 

 are all open, and placed on trees or shrubs. The Chaffinch, I think, is 

 the neatest hand of any; his nest, with its white moss covering and interior 

 of hair, is really a charming object, and the pale green eggs, with their 

 purple markings, assimilate very well with it; they have very tender shells, 

 and are easily broken ; he is very shy, and soon forsakes. The Greenfinch 



