146 AMONGST THE WOODLAND BIRDS— 
the gutter ran only a foot above the top 
panes. Here, just to one side of the window, 
the birds constructed their home. The inter- 
vening glass, which reflected images, deceived 
the birds, and my presence, as I stood looking 
at them with my nose almost flattened against 
the window, was quite undetected. The 
nest was not more than three feet from my 
eyes. The busy pair flew continually down 
on to the road, returning each time with a 
pellet of wet mud. It is alleged that these 
pellets are made adhesive by the bird's 
saliva. Bit after bit was stuck on carefully ; 
the nest gradually assumed a half-cup shape, 
and was finally completed right up to the 
gutter, except the narrow rim for entrance. 
I once noticed house-martins choose a newly- 
painted wall beneath a gutter for the site of 
their nest. The paint was sticky, being 
scarcely dry when they began, and this they 
probably found out. But their nests have 
sometimes been built even against a pane of 
glass. I have been told that sparrows will 
attempt to domicile themselves in a house- 
