Bird Life in a Suburban Parish 



109 



.stifi:' tail-feathers it siij)j)()rts its weight while it searches the 

 interstices of the rouoh bark for small insects. The nest 

 may be found s(|ueezed })etween the trunk and the bark wliere 

 it has become loose, as it often is in old willow-trees. From 

 the nature of the situation it is most curiously com])ressed, 



Nest of bxARLiiNG {Stitj-nus vii/^<ins). 



even for such minute and slender forms as the Tree-creepers 

 and their young family. 



The (xreenfinch is a really handsome bird, though so 

 common and little esteemed. It is a hardy and ornamental 

 bird for the aviary (it is too big and clumsy to show to 

 advantage in a cage), but the worst of him is his dreadfully 

 monotonous voice. 'I'he long-drawn and constantly repeated 

 " Che-e-ep " in early spring is the most aggravating bird- 



