THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 297 



magpies and jackdaws, however, are too cunning for 

 the geese, and as soon as a mess of potatoes is thrown 

 down for the legitimate owners, a jackdaw is sure to 

 come sweeping in one direction and a magpie in another, 

 and to snap up the choicest morsels in spite of all the 

 hoarse threats and angry gesticulations of the geese. 



One of the most curious results of these investiga- 

 tions is the absolute certainty with which any bird can 

 be attracted to a given locality by providing it with a 

 suitable spot for its nest. 



For example, in the hope of inducing the starlings 

 to build in the grounds, twenty-four holes were bored 

 in the old gateway tower. The result was that twenty- 

 fom- pairs of starlings took possession of the holes, made 

 their nests, and hatched their young therein. En- 

 couraged by this success, and being desirous of giving 

 the handsome and useful starling a home, the kind 

 naturalist built two towers for the especial accommoda- 

 tion of these birds. Each tower is set on a pedestal of 

 solid stone, so made that it cannot be climbed by cats 

 or rats, the bane of all nestlings, and is absolutely filled 

 with chambers. 



There is a specially ingenious arrangement about 

 these towers, which enables the bird to gain access to 

 her nest through an aperture only just large enough to 

 admit her body, and at the same time permits the 

 observer to examine the nest and eggs at his leisure. 

 The entrance to each chamber is closed by a cube of 

 stone, having one of the comers squared away. When 



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