The Sheep-Fluke. 27 



his sweetheart's attention to the beautiful progress they were making. This 

 twitter, which I never heard on any other occasion, resembled that of the 

 swallow, only it was not quite so highly agreeable. " Look, dear, how fine 

 its getting on. It'll be a nest in no time ! Let's rush for some more mud !'' 

 and off they would go, and be back again in half-a-minute, each with a load of 

 mud. AVh'ile at work building, either bird, but particularly the male, often 

 whistles once or twice a note an octave higher than the ordinary call, thus : — 



t 



or 



to which the mate sometinies answers in the same tone, but more often an 

 octave lower. This whistle is one particularly connected with nesting and 

 brooding, though I believe it to be the same note that is repeated in rapid 

 succession when the birds are extremely terrified ; it also occurs as a distinct 

 over-tone in the ordinary call in building. As I have before said, the beak 

 is used as a trowel, and it is frequently wiped on the limb just beyond the 

 bouQds of the nest. This is the origin of the muddy markings invariably 

 seen near the nest. The mud composing the bottom of the nest is invariably 

 packed down by treading with the feet. 



When the nest is completed, which is often in three or four days, it is 

 allowed to dry and harden before the eggs are laid. From this time on the 

 birds show admirable precaution when approaching the nest. On entering 

 the tree they alight on the outskirts, and tarry a few seconds or a minute, 

 then make a nearer approach, tarrying once more ; and finally alight on the 

 edge of the nest, which is used as a door-step. 



The eggs are laid in quick succession— four or five eggs are laid in as 

 many days or less. On two occasions I have known two eggs to be laid in 

 the same nest in one day. The usual number of eggs is five, but the number 

 varies from three to six. The male does his half of the incubation, appar- 

 ently with great cheerfulness, for he may often be heard calling out gaily to 

 his mate as he covers the eggs, facing the breeze that rocks both him and 

 his house up and down and to and fro. 



As soon as the young are hatched they are fed on fragments of insects and 

 spiders, among which I note a variety of small wild bees, and grasshoppers. 1 

 have never known snails to be fed to the young, though I know they are 

 often devoured by the old birds. 



In bringing food to the young ones the old bird invariably uses all the 

 precaution possible, never flying straight to the nest, but first to some remote 

 part of the tree, and, approaching the nest slowly and by watchful stages, 

 at last feeds the young, an operation of a few seconds, and then proceeds 

 to brood them till the return of its mate. This occurs in ten or fifteen 

 minutes, the approach being always in the same cautious manner. The bird 

 that is brooding keeps a sharp look-out, and, peering from side to aide, sees 

 its mate returning at a distance ; and scarcely has this laden bird reached 

 the tree before the other has left the nest and flown in a moat direct and 

 business-like manner for more food. It is evidently a very serious business 

 bringing up a neBtful of young ones. 



