154 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



my hand, the young did not mind my presence, 

 but directly she left they showed signs of great 

 alarm, especially when they had reached the age 

 of nearly a fortnight. 



I was very unlucky in my efforts to picture 

 the hen Bullfinch at the nest. Nearly every after- 

 noon I watched the nest for hours on end, but the 



HEN BULLFINCH FEEDING YOUNG. 



sun had a nasty trick of shining brilliantly as 

 long as the bird was away, and whenever she came 

 back it would disappear behind a cloud, in the 

 most exasperating manner. 



In the vicinity a Meadow Pipit and a Willow 

 Wren were busy feeding their young ones, and 

 never seemed to understand the Bullfinch's con- 

 fidence. Although their nests were some distance 

 away, they kept hovering about in great anxiety, 

 even when the Bullfinch was feeding fearlessly from 



