78 



Pictures of Bird Life 



Nest of Meadow-pipit {^Aiit/uis praictisis). 



watched, especially when the young are hatched and the 

 ])arent hirds are husy supplying them with insect food. I 

 liave had a close and friendly acquaintance Mith more tlian 

 one pair, and lla^'e photographed what I liave some reasons 

 for supposing to he the same pair for two successive summers. 

 The second nest was situated a few yards away from the 

 spot where they had successfully reared a })rood the previous 

 year. On the first attempt, I had to wait in a ditch covered 

 over with a green cloth for se\'en hours before the mother- 

 bird appeared at the nest. On their second \'isit they appeared 

 to recognise me as a friend of the family, and laid aside so 

 nuich of their usual timidity that I did not go through the 

 formality of the usual careful concealment. Tliough equipped 



