INSTINCTS OF BIRDS. 277 



naked bough, perhaps in a shady time, not 

 being aware of the inconvenience that followed. 

 But a hot sunny season coming on, before the 

 brood was half fledged, the reflection of the 

 wall became insupportable, and must inevitably 

 have destroyed the tender young, had not affec- 

 tion suggested an expedient, and prompted the 

 parent birds to hover over the nest all the hotter 

 hours, while with wings expanded, and mouths 

 gaping for breath, they serened off" the heat from 

 their suff*ering offspring." 



" A further instance," continues the same 

 author,* ** I once saw of notable sagacity in a 

 willow-wren, which had built in a bank in my 

 fields. This bird a friend and myself had ob- 

 served as she sat in her nest; but were particularly 

 careful not to disturb her, though we saw she 

 eyed us with some degree of jealousy. Some 

 days after as we passed that way we were de- 

 sirous of remarking how this brood went on: 

 but no nest could be found, till I happened to 

 take up a large bundle of long green moss as it 

 were carelesslv thrown over the nest, in order 

 to dodge the eye of any impertinent intruder." 



Actuated by a similar motive, old birds, which 

 have had their young frequently handled, use 



• Natural History of Sdbornc, p. 151. 



