174 



WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



YELLOW-HAMMER GOING ON TO HER NEST. 



twenty feet on one side, and trains constantly 

 rushing up and down a double line not more 

 than fifty on the other. 



Day by day I zealously guarded the nest 

 against the attentions of mischievous cats and 

 boys, the old cock giving me unfailing notice of 

 the dangerously close approach of either by his 

 harsh chack, chack alarm note. 



In due season the young were hatched, and 

 both parent birds were kept busy in the com- 

 missariat department. The nest being in such 

 a public place, I was anxious not to attract 

 undesirable attention to it by fixing up my 

 apparatus in the busy hours of the day, so made 

 arrangements to commence operations at sunrise 



