198 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



the ancient nest of her species which her ancestors, probably for hundreds of years, 

 had never seen. I am led to make these observations, becanse Charles Dixon in 

 his "Jottings about Birds," pp. 235-239, is so indignant with those who insist 

 that the architectural power of birds is instinctive. To my mind it is infinitely 

 more difficult to believe that besotted looking sleepy fledglings should be capable 

 of appreciating the intricacies of the nests which they are leaving, and should be 

 able so to fix them in their memories, as (a year afterwards) to be in a position 

 to reproduce them ; than that the art should be instinctive. Mr. Dixon has indeed 

 shown that some English Chaffinches taken to New Zealand built an aberrant 

 nest there ; but this proves absolutely nothing ; for abnormal nests are by no means 

 uncommon even in England : I have a House-Sparrow's nest built like that of 

 a Duck, a large thick-walled open saucer (of the usual materials) placed in the 

 middle of a hawthorn bush ; I have a Spotted Flycatcher's nest built in a narrow 

 crevice in a brick- wall, and formed like a slipper ; with several other aberrant nests 

 to be mentioned later in the work : I have also proved that Goldfinches and Grey 

 Singing-finches in an aviary, prefer building their nests upon the floor of a Hartz- 

 Canary cage, to utilizing a bush. These facts clearly show that birds do not build 

 by imitation, but distinctly inherit and adapt their parents' handicraft, just as, in 

 a lesser degree, human beings do ; for it is a notorious fact that many artists are 

 able to trace their power to a direct ancestor, whether in painting, music, or even 

 logic. Moreover, as study is necessary to perfect our gifts, so also with young 

 birds several nests are often commenced and pulled to pieces before a satisfactory 

 result is attained. The bird in the nest sees next to nothing of its character, the 

 lining only is constantly before its eyes, and the lining is that part of the structure 

 which is formed mechanically, by the squatting down and twisting round of the 

 parent bird : how then, even if it had a retentive memory, could it learn the method 

 of construction of the complete outer walls. To my mind this is infinitely more 

 inconceivable than that the power to build a certain type of nest should be inher- 

 ited ; the fact that heredity is not incapable of modification or blind, would explain 

 why a bird was still able to adapt the outline of its nest or even the materials to 

 altered conditions. 



