THE ROBIN. 179 



chooses for its nest a shallow cavity among grass or 

 moss in a bank, or at the foot of a tree. Not unfre- 

 quently too are the words of the poet verified : — 



" High is his perch, but humble is his home, 

 And well concealed ; sometimes within the sound 

 Of heartsome mill-clack, where the spacious door, 

 White with dust, tells him plenty reigns around : 

 Close at the root of brier-bush that o'erhangs 

 The narrow stream, with shealings bedded white, 

 He fixes his abode, and lives at will. 

 Oft near some single cottage he prefers 

 To rear his little home ; there, pert and spruce, 

 He shai-es the refuse of the good wife's churn ; 

 Nor seldom does he neighbour the low roof 

 Where tiny elves are taught." 



A redbreast built her nest in a little hollow on the 

 side of a heap of manure, the materials of which were 

 brought partly from the stable, and partly from the sea- 

 shore, the heap being placed in an enclosure on the out- 

 side of a garden, and under a sort of pent-house formed 

 by a lock of the sea-weed. Here, too, she hatched her 

 young, undisturbed by the persons continually passing 

 by, though her nest was very near to the garden door, 

 and apparently unmolested also by the manure-heap 

 being dug away within a couple of feet of her abode, 

 which she entered and left whoever happened to look 

 on. 



Another redbreast found an abode in a house standing 



