APPENDIX B 255 



One is tempted on reading the story to wonder that the 

 sternest of Lady Abbesses, 



' Though vain of her religious sway, 

 Loving to see her nuns obey,' 



could have seen the bird complete the round of the nitches of 

 the marble grave, and begin a second round, without relenting. 



' I have a sister who is a nun in the Abbey, at . 



When she was at home she took part in much of the Natural 

 History work my brothers and I were engaged in, and she 

 certainly has a good knowledge of our English birds, and is 

 a careful observer. I mention these facts to show you that 

 my witness is one on whom I can thoroughly rely. 



'On Thursday, July 9th, last year (1891), a Missel Thrush 

 built in the Nuns' graveyard. There is a marble grave there 

 with a pent-house built over it to save it from the weather. 

 The rafters resting on the " wall-plate " make twelve openings 

 under the eaves, six on each side of the building. 



' In the first of these openings, on the left, the nest was 

 built. The Lady Abbess told my sister to take it out, as she 

 feared for the future of the gravestone when the young birds 

 would be hatched. It was removed on the 12th, and by the 

 afternoon of the next day another nest was nearly finished in 

 the next compartment between the rafters. This was promptly 

 removed, but on the 14th the third nest was more than half 

 built in the next division of the roof. 



1 The bird built in this way all down one side of the roof 

 and then down the openings of the other. 



' The nests were removed every second or third day, but it 

 had no effect in stopping it. 



' When it had been down the second side of the roof, it 

 began again where it had made the first nest, and worked 

 steadily down the openings again, almost always in order, 

 and then round to the other side once more. 



