124 BRITISH BIRDS. 



This bird may become, under favourable circum- 

 stances, very familiar. One of them built a nest in a 

 workshop at Taunton. It was not only a room occupied 

 by braziers, whose noise was loud and incessant, but also 

 near the wheel of a lathe, which revolved within a foot 

 of the little dwelling. Here, strange as it may seem, 

 the bird hatched four young ones ; but the male, not 

 accustomed to such society, appeared disinclined to follow 

 the usual course of feeding the nestlings ; for he carried 

 the food he collected to a certain spot on the roof, where 

 he left it, and from thence it was borne by his mate, who 

 flew in and out of the shop without the slightest fear. 

 She, however, was disturbed by the presence of a stranger 

 — if in her nest, she would quit it on his appearance ; or 

 if absent, would not return; but, the moment he was 

 gone, she was as familiar as before. 



