424 Natural History Notes. [Sess. 



few steps we come upon a nest of one kind or another, but 

 principally green-finclies, who appear to have a liking for this 

 kind of hedge. What we see now, however, is something 

 very different. We have come to the hedge round the fruit- 

 garden, and here we find the nest of the bullfinch, beautifully 

 built of tiny twigs interlaced with one another and the sur- 

 rounding supports. The hen is sitting on the nest, so we 

 shall not disturb her, but we have leisure to admire her 

 glossy black head and bright intelligent eye ; while the male 

 bird, sitting on an adjacent apple-tree, looks as though he was 

 quite aware of the fact that he is perhaps the handsomest of 

 British birds. At the same time, it must be confessed that 

 a good deal can be said for the view held by his neighbour 

 the cock chaffinch, namely that, whatever may be thought by 

 others, lie knows a bird every bit as good-looking as Mr 

 Bullfinch. While watching the two male birds we observe 

 the nest of the chaffinch, quite exposed to the view of any 

 one passing underneath the branch on which it is placed, 

 but the little builders have been so cunning in the selection 

 of the materials employed by them that one might look and 

 look again without the nest catching the eye. 



Why hen birds should, as a rule, be so modest in their 

 apparel, in comparison with their male companions, is perhaps 

 difficult to account for ; and they also fall far short of their 

 lords and masters in the way of accomplishments. The fact, 

 however, which is undoubted and easy of proof, might be ap- 

 plied with some force in connection with the much-debated 

 qu.estion of woman's proper sphere. But we have no wish to 

 touch such debatable ground. Eather let us follow the mill- 

 lade which we here cross, and see if we cannot come upon 

 something new in the way of nests. A quantity of brushwood 

 lies in the yard to our right, and it may be worth our while to 

 try here for the nest of the blackbird — though in all proba- 

 bility we will find that we are too late in the season. A few 

 minutes' search discloses a nest of young blackbirds, but ere 

 we are aware they scatter here and there, and are lost to sight. 

 Getting back on to the road, and following the mill-lade, we 

 see some dry grass protruding from among the ivy on the wall, 

 and quickly ascertain that we have come upon the nest of the 

 yellow wagtail, who puts in an animated appearance, bobbing 



