BIRDS OF MOORLAND AND LOCH. 107 



simplicity, however near the camera was placed 

 to her nest. 



One day we were visited by a deluge of rain, 

 which w^as driven by a strong wind against the 

 wall occupied by the twite. Knowing that the 

 straggling branches of the honeysuckle afforded 

 her very little shelter, I went out, and cutting a 

 large rhubarb leaf, suspended it like a curtain in 

 front of the nest, and stood on one side to see 

 what would happen. In a minute or two back 

 came the uneasy little bird, full of maternal 

 anxiety to resume her duties. She eyed the 

 obstruction over critically, and hesitated, but her 

 indecision lasted only for a moment, and, creeping 

 behind the rhubarb leaf, she sat down and en- 

 joyed its shelter with an air of great satisfaction. 



A stone's throw from the garden a girl, seeking 

 lay-away hens' eggs, found a corncrake's nest in 

 a bunch of nettles growing close to an old dry 

 wall, one Saturday afternoon, and I had it shown 

 to me the following morning. 



The dear old soul who took me to see it did 

 not recognise the enormity of her offence against 

 Providence until some mischievous member of a 

 numerous family of Skye terriers brought a dead 

 corncrake home. This was at once interpreted 

 as a judgment for showing me the bird's nest 

 on the Sabbath. I pointed out that the faith 

 within me was far too small to believe in the 



