180 TALKS ABOUT BIRDS 



a shorter tail. Also it does not hop like a 

 thrush, but struts like a bantam-cock, and has 

 a harsh hawk-like scream instead of a song. 

 It is a common garden bird, and often builds 

 its nest on posts or on beams of houses, and 

 from what Mr. Hudson tells us in his book on 

 South American birds, seems to be a general 

 favourite, just as the robin is here. The nest 

 is made of mud and fibre, and is as big as a 

 man's head, domed over, with two com- 

 partments, the entrance being shut off from 

 the egg-room by a partition which goes half 

 across the inside. This, of course, makes it 

 very safe, and it is not surprising that it is 

 looked upon with envious eyes by other birds, 

 especially as it is durable as well. The most 

 pushing of the would-be tenants are some large 

 swallows ; in other countries the swallow 

 tribe are too often robbed of their mud nests 

 by other birds, but here we have a swallow 

 which itself would rather be a robber than a 

 mason, and a sad time, Mr. Hudson tells us, 

 the poor oven-birds have in kicking these 

 unscrupulous birds off their doorstep. Some- 

 times they do not succeed, and have to give 

 up their little mud hut to the invaders alto- 



