WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



gasping, yet the sun was not shining directly 

 on the nest. It is almost certainly the wish 

 for shade and coolness that makes so many 

 birds build in dark evergreen trees, such as fir 

 and yews. But however hot they were, the 

 young willow warblers never lost their appetites. 

 They knew that the old one was coming with 

 food long before she or he got near the nest; 

 their heads would shoot up, their beaks being 

 opened wide, and I had a view of seven 

 gaping throats quivering backwards and for- 

 wards in eager expectation. If anything caused 

 the parent to turn back, they would sink dis- 

 appointedly down again, only to thrust their 

 heads towards the entrance when a twig or 

 a leaf rustled again a moment or two 

 later. 



Day after day I watched all these happy 

 home arrangements. I saw the little mother 

 brooding, feeding and caring for her nestlings, 

 and the father's fond anxiety ; how he helped 

 with all the duties, and how the pair twittered 

 and scolded when any person came by, trying 

 to take their attention and draw them from the 

 spot where the nest was hidden. Cats in par- 

 ticular worried them dreadfully, and, as it 

 turned out, their fear was not without ground. 

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