294 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



the old nest. The sparrows had disappeared ; he 

 wondered why after taking a nest that didn't belong 

 to them they had allowed themselves to be pushed 

 out in this way. At the end of the season, after the 

 departure of the martins, he got up to remove the 

 board and the double nest looked so curious he 

 thought he would take this down too and examine 

 it. On breaking the closed nest open he was astonished 

 to find the hen sparrow in it, a feathered skeleton 

 still sitting on four eggs ! 



