138 THE STORY OF BIRD-LIFE. 



which we considered in the opening part of this 

 chapter, only much more perfectly made. We 

 have now something more than a mere collection 

 of bits of grass, and roots, and so forth, used as 

 a lining to some slight hollow in the ground, 

 or for the floor of the terminal chamber of some 

 tunnel or burrow. These which we are now 

 -about to examine are deftly interwoven struc- 

 tures capable of standing a considerable amount 

 of wear and tear. 



Among the simplest are those of the doves 

 and pigeons, made of small branches and twigs 

 of trees. The nest of one of these — the wood- 

 pigeon for instance — is nothing more than a 

 platform of sticks, so loosely put together that 

 the eggs can be seen through it against the sky 

 when the nest is viewed from below. The 

 rooks and herons are British birds which build 

 comparatively simple nests: an advance, how- 

 ever, upon those of the doves, as the centre of 

 the structure is more or less carefully lined with 

 fine grass, fibre, wool, and so on, for the recep- 

 tion of the eggs. 



In strong contrast to these harsh nests of 

 sticks stand the exquisitely beautiful nests of 

 the goldfinch and chaffinch. The latter is con- 

 structed for the most part of wool and hair, 

 matted together so as to form a very perfect 

 " felt." On the outside of this are fastened, or 

 rather woven, mosses, lichens, and spider-webs. 

 The whole so completely harmonizes with its 

 general surroundings as to make it very difficult 

 of detection. 



The nest of the British reed- warbler is one 



