,1 LESSON IN BUILDING 79 



are feeding the case is more difficult and complex 

 for the little thing, and it will wait on the bough 

 close by, sometimes for four or five minutes, till it 

 feels sure that the coast is clear. -The sparrows 

 treat the little birds so badly, that I do not mind 

 sending them away. The nuthatches I cannot 

 help liking too much for that ; they are such queer 

 picturesque birds, with so much frank character. 

 I feel sure some of them know me : they ought to 

 do so by the way they stare me full in the face, 

 and I often think one is shouting at me from a tree 

 when I walk out into the garden. I believe that 

 the blue tits greet me also. 



March 28, 1884. 



Ill spite of the blackthorn winter the birds go 

 on building with vigour ; and I was much 

 interested to-day by what I saw in the tree 

 opposite my window. I believe it was a lesson in 

 building, or rather in the fetching of materials, 

 given by an old rook to a young one. A large 

 lumbering creature had been there previously, and 

 had been working with much deliberation and re- 

 flection. It evidently expended much intelligence 

 in the choice of its twigs, and much dexterity and 

 strength in carrying them away. Then came two 

 other rooks ; one began to work away with great 

 rapidity and eagerness, and at the same time as 

 it seemed to me with a great deal of conscious 



