FAMILY CARES — BUILDING THE HOME. 139 



of very great beauty. It must be sought for 

 in our reed-beds, or the banks of such of our 

 rivers as are liberallj^ fringed with reeds. The 

 stems of some three or four reeds are utilised 

 as supporting pillars, and between them the 

 nest is built so that, when finished it looks 

 as though the reed-stems had been driven 

 through its sides. The materials of which the 

 nest is constructed are the seed-tufts, long 

 grasses, moss, and portions of reed-leaves. It 

 is lined w^ith cow's hair. The cavity of the nest 

 is very deep, so that even when the pliant reeds 

 are bent nearly level with the water the eggs 

 yet remain safe inside. 



Whilst the nest of the reed-warbler is sup- 

 ported by branches passing verticalUj through it, 

 that of the golden oriole is peculiar in that the 

 supporting branches pass horizontallij through its 

 sides. It is composed of sheeps' wool, fibres of 

 roots, slender grasses, and so on ; all perfectly 

 interwoven. All these are cup- or saucer-shaped 

 nests. 



That of the dipper is peculiar, as much on 

 account of the site which is chosen as for its 

 shape. The nest is a large mass of finely felted 

 moss, in the middle of which the eggs are de- 

 posited. It is built, almost invariably behind 

 some cascade, so that the birds have to pass 

 through this torrent of water every time they 

 enter or leave the nest. "... in some place?!, 

 particularly in Scotland, wdiere this bird is 

 known as the water-cow, water-pyet, and king- 

 fisher, it is foolishly destroyed by every possible 

 device under the mistaken idea that it haunts 



