126 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



which the nest is discovered, or by the difficulty of 

 its access if discernible. The guillemot even is 

 justified to a certain extent by the hazard any 

 enemy to its domestic security would incur in the 

 invasion of its nest. 



In strong contrast with the apparent negligence 

 of this bird and of several others, is the sedulous 

 care with which some birds cover over their nests 

 and eggs. The eider-duck lays a soft, downy 

 bed of feathers from her own breast upon her 

 eggs, during the time of their deposition. The 

 little grebe, or dabchick, an aquatic bird, com- 

 mon upon ponds and lakes in Great Britain, is 

 endowed with this peculiar propensity ; and other 

 aquatic birds have it also. It has been said that 

 the birds cover their eggs in order to keep them 

 warm ; but experience does not justify this conclu- 

 sion. Mr. Waterton, when out in a boat on the 

 lake, surrounding Walton Hall, found one of the 

 nests of a water-hen at the root of a willow, con- 

 taining seven eggs. The bird had made its escape. 

 On returning the next day, he observed that she 

 had collected a considerable quantity of grass and 

 weeds, and that she had put them all round the 

 nest. On a dry island in the same piece of water, 



