WOOD AND WASTE 53 



however, left severely alone, the sand not 

 being of the proper kind, not the velvet- 

 soft, cool, 3'et not dry, powdery, yet not too 

 free, flood drift of river banks. 



The log wedged in the living willow's 

 fork, however, proved snitable, and in a 

 few days the birds had excavated a fine 

 tunnel, judged by the amount of wood 

 grain thrown out. 



I now thought all was well, and gave 

 little more thought to the matter, until I 

 noticed Starlings in the vicinity. 



Upon inspection, it was found that these 

 aliens had dispossessed the Kingfishers of 

 their new bore, and also seized upon the 

 original site, the poor Kingfishers having, 

 I found, huml)ly attempted still a third 

 bore beneath the Starlings' nest in the 

 latter. Both chan liters were full of horrid 

 willow twigs and vulgar feathers of the tame 

 villatic fowl. 



They were promptly pulled out, and for 

 a day or two either myself or McLean 

 lay hidden in the flax, and each Starling 

 arrivi]"i2: was dulv shot. 



