NEST OF ROBIN. 13 



was a collection of Asiatic quadrupeds stuffed; 

 of these the most ferocious and appalling-looking 

 were selected and placed at the window. Doubt- 

 less any other intruder would have retired from 

 such awful society ; but the stout-hearted robin, 

 not the least intimidated, paid its visits as usual. 

 The bird was at length permitted to have its own 

 way, and, as if still further to show that it had no 

 coward's heart, it actually selected for its nest 

 the head of a shark, under cover of the tail of 

 an alligator which overshadowed it as it hung 

 upon the wall. Here its eggs were deposited, 

 and its young hatched, which in due time were 

 conducted into the open air by the intrepid 

 parent.* 



The swallow makes choice of the most singular 

 situations for its nest, perhaps, of any bird. A 

 pair of these birds has been known to build their 

 nest in a schoolroom where there were forty 

 scholars, the windows having been accidentally 

 left down. They used to build even during school- 

 hours, and successfully prosecuted the duties of 

 parentage, taking their young ones with them 

 out of the room when they were able to fly. 

 * Mr. W. Thompson : Annals of Natural History. 



