96 A YEAR WITH NATURE. 



my homeward journey I found yet another nest of this bird 

 almost ready for eggs, also in a hawthorn hedge. 



The Hawfinch is believed to be increasing its range in 

 this Country. It is a somewhat shy bird and hence may 

 be often overlooked. The nest is placed in bushes, arms 

 of trees, among intertangled bowers, and so forth. It consists 

 of small twigs for the most part, together with stems of 

 plants and lichens, with a lining of hair and roots, but not 

 always the former. It is a loose, but as will be seen from 

 Mr. Newman's charming photograph a by no means untidy 

 structure. 



In a neighbouring orchard the pink and snow-white blossoms 

 looking beautiful in the golden sunlight I looked anxiously for 

 the Spotted Flycatcher, and had the satisfaction of seeing it dart- 

 ing after the highly luscious insects, which were in their thousands 

 near the cattle ; the latter were basking their dappled hides in the 

 warmth afforded them. At this moment I heard two glorious 

 Nightingales singing in unison, and if I heard one during the 

 afternoon i heard a dozen. If only every bird concealed its 

 nest as does Philomel, what a great many birds would be saved. 



Several times on my ramble I found nests cruelly robbed or 

 more strictly speaking "lugged " and one of these despoilers may 

 be seen in the frontispiece of the next month with which we 

 have to deal. What a study ! All the talking in the world, and 

 all the notices posted in conspicuous places, seems to have no 

 effect whatever on these marauders, and the only remedy I can 

 suggest is that the rural policeman should be " about," especially 

 on the Sabbath, on which day these depredations are generally 

 carried out. 



It made my heart ache to find a beautiful nest of the 

 Chaffinch, Thrush or Blackbird, lying in the roadway with the 

 eggs all smashed. Two Wren's nests were carefully placed 

 between a couple of sturdy Hawthorn stems : how often the 

 Wren changes the materials for the construction of its nest 

 according to the surroundings. At intervals a cluster of dead 

 oak leaves might be seen in the hedgerows and the nest of this 

 bird could easily have passed for such but for the cultivated eye 

 again. The nest was composed of dead leaves placed upon 

 a foundation of moss with a small hole at the top, profusely 



