58 



WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



EGGS OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH 

 PARTRIDGES IN THE SAME NEST. 



After thinking the matter over maturely on 

 the top of the stone wall, the mother-bird flew 

 down to re-examine the site of her departed joys, 

 and whilst hopping round, discovered her nest 

 in its new situation. I naturally thought that 

 distress would now give place to rejoicing, but it 

 did nothing of the kind. Instead of sitting down 

 and brooding her chicks, she stood on the edge 

 of the nest, and, to my bewilderment, began to 

 pull the lining out in great billfuls, and in a fit 

 of uncontrollable anger scatter it to the ground 

 below. How I sighed for my camera and a 

 gleam of sunshine whilst this was going on ! 



Desiring to give the American naturalist's 

 experiments a fair trial, I stayed for nearly three 



