l6o THE WOODLANDS. 



placed nearly on the topmost branches of the lofty 

 sycamore, another may be found within four feet of 

 the ground, in the humble shelter of the hedgerow 

 bush." And again, " Ring-doves are exceedingly 

 numerous here during summer ; and when winter sets 

 in many thousands come every evening to take up 

 their quarters for the night. They retire early to 

 roost, and never leave the trees till all the other birds 

 are on the stir." There seems to be a mournfulness 

 in the monotonous " Coo-Coo " of the Ring-dove 

 when heard in the depths of a forest, a kind of 

 fretful complaint of which the notes of songsters do not 

 partake. 



We are closing our gossip on the feathered tribes 

 without scarcely a mention of those charming produc- 

 tions of their instinct and perseverance, " birds' nests." 

 We have done so advisedly, so as not to stimulate the 

 curiosity of our younger readers into a desire for birds- 

 nesting, or give them an excuse for its pursuit. We 

 have had interesting books written on " Bird Archi- 

 tecture/' on " Homes without Hands," and kindred 

 topics, which have almost exhausted the subject ; 

 whilst at the same time they have exhibited such 

 marvellous examples of ingenuity, of instinct bordering 

 on intelligence, that we are fain to believe would 

 inspire their readers with such respect for the little 

 architects as to leave their homes in peace. 



There is as much of character in the nest and the 

 eggs as in the birds themselves. It is not difficult to 

 determine the bird from its nest, much less from its 

 eggs. In some instances there is evidence of a refined 

 architectural taste, if such a term may be applied ; 



