BIRD NOTES 3 



and been astonished at the spots chosen by the 

 erratic birds. 



Into a beam a marshman had driven a large nail to 

 serve, probably, as a clothes-peg. To this beam was 

 attached a half-circular nest, the bottom of it rest- 

 ing on the spike, which still protruded a couple of 

 inches beyond it. This portion served as a perch 

 to the bird temporarily off duty, as the accumulated 

 droppings on the floor below bore testimony to. 

 In another instance a brick had crumbled away in 

 the mill wall and a Swallow appropriated the vacant 

 space, placing in one corner a nest the quarter of a 

 circle in shape. Another erected its nest on the top 

 of a cross-beam which was a mere circular raised rim, 

 deeper certainly, but very like a quoit. Inside this 

 circle was a sprinkling of grass-bents, horsehair, and 

 a few small white feathers dropped by the marsh- 

 ducks. 



On one occasion I found a nest built saucer-shaped 

 on a beam ; it was quite detached, and my removing 

 and replacing it did not seem much to disturb or 

 concern the parent birds. Another, built half- 

 circular, was attached to the main shaft of a mill, 

 the droppings from the birds forming a complete 

 circle on the floor, caused by the shaft turning when 



