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home, lined with feathers and containing five eggs, 

 white with reddish spots at the larger end. This was 

 a rather late find since they build as a rule early in 

 May, but some say two broods are often reared. 



Close by this tree another very interesting 

 spectacle was to be seen — a pair of Starlings rearing 

 their young in a hole in a silver birch. The young 

 family consisted of two, almost full grown, now and 

 then taking a peep at the world they were soon to flv 

 about in, but not yet having the pluck to venture out 

 on their own, big as they looked. But perhaps thev 

 were lazy and did not want the bother of finding food 

 for themselves, as the parents were indefatigable in 

 their flying to and fro with choice tit-bits from sun- 

 rise to sunset. And what a "to do" there was when 

 the father arrived with a big fat worm ! As a rule 

 birds are very shy when feeding their 5'oung, but 

 these were quite an exception, for people were 

 continually passing the tree and we sat watching their 

 domestic affairs for some hours, taking photographs 

 of them as well. It was interesting to watch the way 

 the droppings were always deposited outside the hole, 

 so as not to dirty the home inside. 



Along this bank we also saw innumerable 

 Thrushes, as tame as could be. Blackbirds, Robins 

 as pretty as usual, and occasionally brave enough to 

 come on to the punt. Flycatchers capturing insects on 

 the wing to devour on their perches— an easy means 

 of recognizing these birds — Garden Warblers, Titmice, 

 (the Long-tailed Tit having the smallest body and 

 proportionately longest tail of the group). The 

 Great Tit, Cole Tit, Marsh Tit and the Blue Tit, all 

 of these were to be seen. 



