220 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



consequently reasonable to suppose, that the num- 

 ber, or, at any rate, the presence of the eggs in the 

 nest, is necessary before the bird will begin to 

 incubate. 



Let us suppose, then, that all has gone on unin- 

 terruptedly, and that the nest contains its usual 

 complement of eggs. Incubation begins ; the 

 female bird takes her station on the eggs, and, 

 leaving her thoughtless companions to their amuse- 

 ments, becomes occupied in an extraordinary 

 degree with the duties she has now engaged in. 

 Her intentness while thus occupied has long been 

 the subject of familiar remark. How often have 

 we wandered through the orchard by the side of 

 the tree in which the chaffinch has built its nest, and 

 watched her escape in an instant on too familiar 

 an approach ! But this would be previous to the 

 time of incubation. Then the circumstances would 

 be greatly altered ; the bird would be seen crouch- 

 ing close upon her eggs, and her maternal anxiety 

 would almost permit the hand to be placed upon 

 her back before she would attempt to escape, and 

 on taking flight she would only seek a branch 

 close by, where she would be joined by her twit- 

 tering and anxious mate. 



