62 WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



away to the open fields beyond. The fractured 

 piece of old earthenware was allowed to lie un- 

 disturbed in the hope that the bird, or one of 

 her descendants, might re-occupy it the following 

 breeding season ; but it remained untenanted, 

 and I arrived, without difficulty, at the con- 

 clusion that some sportsman's gun was responsible 

 for my disappointment. I had a very pleasant 

 surprise, however, last iMay, when my friends 

 informed me that a French partridge had com- 

 menced to lay again under the old plant-pot, 

 where my brother, after a considerable amount of 

 trouble, eventually succeeded in photographing her. 



Some birds appear to court disaster by the 

 very daring they display in the selection of a 

 nesting place. During the last four years I have 

 known a partridge, a blackbird, a pied wagtail, 

 and a robin attempt to breed in a target pit, 

 where bullets hail at least three or four days a 

 week, and the sergeant responsible for the up- 

 keep of the range practically lives. The first- 

 named bird deserted because every nettle which 

 formed her cover was cut down by fugitive bits 

 of lead ; but the last two would undoubtedly 

 have brought out, if not reared, their young had 

 the markers not robbed them. 



The reason for the selection of odd nesting 

 situations by birds belonging to many different 

 species is well-nigh inexplicable. 



