20 IN A CHESHIRE GARDEN 



their disposition towards human beings than 

 blackbirds, which go clattering off whenever 

 they see you near them. 



In May, 1902, there must have been at 

 least 20 throstles' nests in the garden itself. 

 There were five, all in holly bushes, within 

 30 yards, by the side of one path, two in one 

 tree, both of which had young ones in them 

 at the same time. One bird had a nest just 

 over the entrance to the house porch, through 

 which we were in and out the whole day long, 

 and we saw nothing of it until the young were 

 hatched. Another chose an extraordinarily 

 exposed situation, in a rhododendron just 

 opposite the front door, from which we could 

 see her quite plainly as she sat. The nest 

 was actually not more than a foot or so from 

 a little narrow r path. We were constantly up 

 and down this path and could hardly avoid 

 brushing the leaves at the end of the very 

 bough on which the nest was built, yet I never 

 once saw her fly off. She used to keep her 

 eye on us, but did not move even if we stood 

 still only a few feet away and looked at her. 

 This nest was under continual observation 

 from the laying of the first egg to the flight 

 of the last nestling, which remained for the 

 best part of a day after the rest had flown. 



On the other hand, in strange contrast to 

 this confidence, there were three nests farther 

 away from the house (one indeed absurdly 

 close to a gate in constant use), from which 



