Some Remarkable Nests and Eggs. 55 



wool from their sides in the springtime by grazing 

 too near brambles and briars ; along comes a Missel 

 Thrush, very glad of the opportunity of utilising 

 the material, for it will entangle itself amongst the 

 lichens growing upon the branches of some tall tree 

 in the forks of which she has decided to build her 

 nest. This bird breeds in the early spring, when 

 there are no leaves upon the trees, and the avooI 

 used as a foundation effectually anchors her little 

 household to its surroundings at a time when fierce 

 spring gales and sleet come whistling through the 

 woodland. 



The feathers of birds that die a natural death 

 are sometimes used as a lining for nests. 



A year or two as^o I had a very comical illus- 

 tration of the old saying that it is an ill wind 

 that blows nobody any good. Upon looking over a 

 wooden fence into a field I saw two Roosters hard 

 at it fighting to see who should be master of the 

 situation. They were making each other's hackle 

 feathers fly round in all directions, and, to my 

 surprise, an old cock Sparrow stood by, enjoying 

 wdiat no doubt appeared to him to be the best of 

 fun, for he picked their feathers up as they fell 

 and flew away as hard as he could go with great 

 billfuls to his nest. 



