154 IN NATURE'S WAYS 



would then inspect her family, as they slept, with 

 their heads beneath their wings. One by one they 

 would wake up ; and while some were wide awake 

 directly their eyes were opened, others would drop 

 off to doze a little longer, just like drowsy children. 



Birds which fly in flocks naturally have a good 

 deal to say about going to roost before settling down. 



Flocks of starlings make a grand fuss as bed-time 

 draws near, and they fly to their roosting-place, a 

 bed of reeds, or some wood or coppice. It is a wonderful 

 sight, on a midsummer evening, to watch thousands 

 of starlings seeking their roosting-place, and circling 

 above it, with a rush of wings like a rising wind. 

 All the birds of the flock rise, fall, twist, and circle as 

 one, in perfect unison. When at last they settle, 

 there arises their . grand good - night chorus, made 

 up of the strangest whistling, chattering, clattering 

 sounds. But the flock may presently rise again as 

 one, to go circling, soaring, and diving over the tree- 

 tops, before finally settling for the night. 



And at intervals through the night there comes 

 from the restless flock a low whistling medley of song, 

 suddenly arising and suddenly dying away, and the 

 birds rustle amid the trees with a noise like a sudden 

 shower of rain. 



When there are eggs or young birds in a nest, it is 

 an interesting little problem, Where do the parents 

 sleep ? Often one of the parents sits on guard in the 

 nest above its treasures, while the other roosts near by. 

 Late one evening we watched a mother thrush guarding 

 her young from a sudden rainstorm ; she crouched 

 above them with her wings spread wide, forming a 

 perfect umbrella. 



Father rooks remain near their nests at night, 

 while the mothers take charge of the contents ; but 



