234 



STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



CjiB Itflrling. 



0^, REAT stories are told about the nest- 

 ' building of the orchard starling. 

 Wilson, who, all must admit, is pretty- 

 good authority in matters of this kind, 

 gives a very particular account of the 

 way in which the nest is put together. 

 He says the bird commonly hangs its 

 nest from the twigs of an apple tree. The out- 

 side is made of a particular kind of long, tough 

 grass, that will bend without breaking, and 

 this grass is knit or sewed through and through 

 in a thousand directions, just as if done with a 

 needle. The little creature does it with its feet 

 and bill. Mr. Wilson says that he one day 

 showed one of these nests to an old lady, and 

 she was so much struck with the work that she 

 asked him, half in earnest, if he did not think 

 that these birds could be taught to darn stock- 



