The Birds and Poets 213 



ceed to occupy the warm but incongruous structure 

 through the winter. 



It is interesting to note that while man's imme- 

 diate ancestors originally occupied the trees, and 

 in the process of evolution became terrestrial 

 animals, the bird's immediate ancestors were 

 originally terrestrial, and in the process of evolu- 

 tion many of them became tree dwellers. Man's 

 conquest over the forces of nature has enabled 

 him to live in comparative safety on the earth's 

 surface, whereas many of the birds still seek 

 refuge from their natural enemies in the pro- 

 tective tree tops. 



Even among the fishes and reptiles from which 

 it is said the birds have descended, the habit of 

 nest building is not unknown. Among the fishes, 

 both sexes of the bright-colored Crenilabrus massa 

 and melops work together in building their nests 

 with seaweed, shells, etc. The stickleback (G. 

 leiurus) also builds a nest, and the male of the 

 species performs the duties of a nurse with exem- 

 plary care and vigilance during a long time, and 

 is continually employed in gently leading the 

 young back to the nest when they stray too far.* 



Many of the reptiles deposit their eggs in the 

 sand near the edge of the water, taking quite as 

 much care in depositing and protecting them as 

 some of our shore and water birds. Many of our 

 shore birds exhibit striking structural resemblances 

 to their reptile ancestors, in their long legs and 



* Darwin, Descent of Man, 2nd Ed., p. 391. 



