332 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



upon the wing, with perfect ease, fly off to their homes 

 with many a graceful curve. Early in the season the 

 business proceeds but slowly, the birds working only 

 for short periods and at uncertain intervals, guided, no 

 doubt, by the necessities of nature to hasten or delay 

 the appointed task. If, however, their nests are 

 destroyed by accident or otherwise, the next are com- 

 pleted with far more expedition. A pair, which no 

 doubt had been disturbed elsewhere, commenced build- 

 ing at the side of my house on the 8th of June (1864), 

 and by the 13th the nest was completed, and the old 

 birds were seen going in and out. I watched their 

 proceedings with much interest, and as soon as the 

 site was once chosen and the foundation laid with a 

 few lumps of clay, both birds were actively engaged 

 collecting materials. At first, clinging to the brick- 

 work with their claws and supportmg themselves on 

 their outspread tails, each one in turn added its mite, 

 and hurried off for a fresh supply. An affectionate 

 little twitter was invariably uttered on each arrival, 

 but if both remained at the same time, one only con- 

 tinued building; the other either looked on, or with 

 endearing notes caressed its mate. Occasionally the 

 absent bird would return too soon, and receiving a 

 hint to that effect as it hovered up to its partner, 

 would skim away over the tops of the trees, and thus 

 in little flights await its turn. Presently the structure 

 assumed a cup-like form, projecting sufficiently for 

 each little architect to get inside, as with busy bills 

 they raised the outer wall, and now both birds, which 

 before had left the house at night, roosted together on 

 their new structure. They generally worked, if the 

 weather was fine, from early morning till nearly noon, 

 and then either desisted altogether or returned only at 

 long intervals until about five p.m., when both worked 

 steadily for an hour or two, and then joined their 



