32 THE WOOD-WREN 



hop out into the undergrowth, was feasted 

 royally ; for the more venturesome youngsters, 

 scattered in the grass, were not always easily 

 found when a nice beakful of flies had been 

 brought from the riverside ; and their portions 

 often fell to his lot. 



It is an interesting fact that a bird's nest, if 

 built compactly, with circular walls, generally 

 appears to contain as many inhabitants as it can 

 possibly hold, let the number be two or ten. 

 Many young birds, particularly thrushes, linger 

 at home till the walls of the nest actually bulge 

 from the pressure within ; but, as a rule, when 

 discomfort is felt, some of the fledglings become 

 impatient of confinement, and seek more com- 

 modious quarters out of doors. 



Almost immediately the young wood-wrens 

 had broken from the eggs, a strange visitor, 

 destined often to perplex and annoy the warblers 

 till they became familiar with his presence, 

 appeared on the scene. The cock-bird was 

 removing the last of the broken egg-shells to the 

 thicket on the outer side of the path, when the 

 quick, irregular sound of human footsteps was 

 heard on the pebbly shingles near the ford at the 

 top of the island. Ever on the alert, the warbler, 

 having dropped the shell he was carrying into 

 the bushes, flew to his look-out station, from 

 which he saw that a man, having waded through 



