BIRDS' NESTS 



of utility, but by decorative motives as well ? This 

 suggestion is generally scoffed at by naturalists of 

 the sterner sort, but when one considers the de- 

 licately-woven nest of the chaffinch or goldcrest, 

 where the vari-coloured mosses and lichen appear 

 to be arranged in prettily chosen patterns, it is hard 

 to avoid the conclusion that a definite decoiative 

 sense has been brought into play. 



In 1915, the Rev. S. Cornish Watkins found the 

 nest of a mistle-thrush in a pear tree just outside 

 Staunton-in-Arrow churchyard, that was adorned 

 with artificial flowers taken from a wreath on a 

 grave. He stated in the Selbourne Magazine that 

 the wires were intei woven with the fabric of the 

 nest in a manner that satisfied him they had been 

 X introduced during the actual process of construction. 

 In a succeeding year the birds returned and again 

 appropriated flowers for the nest. 



In the case of the long-tailed field-mouse, too, 

 something of the same quality may be seen. One 

 of these little creatures that we had in confinement 

 built a rounded nest of moss like an inverted cup. 

 The moss supplied gave little scope for artistic 

 arrangement, but directly pieces of red wool and 

 variously coloured scraps of paper were added they 

 were at once woven into the outer surface of the nest 

 in a fashion that certainly suggested the idea of 

 intentional ornamentation. 



But the most striking instance in animated 

 nature of creatures deliberately seeking to beautify 

 their homes by adding brightly coloured objects 

 that are obviously of no practical utility is afforded 

 by the various species of bower-bird. 



Quite apart from their actual nests,, these birds 

 build bowers and arbours that are veritable pleasure 

 grounds, and the spaces in and around these are 

 strewn with various incongruous objects that have 



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