British Birds, their Nests and Eggs. 137 



It will be remarked that all the birds men- 

 tioned live much upon the ground, obtaining the 

 principal part of their food therefrom, and that 

 therefore they have need of special protection. 

 Incubation in every case takes place on the 

 ground ; and just as the imitation of the plumage 

 of the female bird is perfect, so will the fact tell 

 upon the survival of the species. There is no 

 such need of protection for tree builders, as 

 these, for the most part, are out of the way of 

 predatory animals. The chaffinch is by far the 

 most abundant bird of our fields and woods ; and 

 there is one good reason why it should be so. It 

 invariably covers its nest on the outside with 

 dead lichens, like to those of the trunk against 

 which it is built. Against boys and other preda- 

 tory creatures the device succeeds admirably, 

 and the chaffinch as a species flourishes vigor- 

 ously. The wren constructs her nest of moss, 

 placing it upon a mossy background so as to 

 present no sharp contrasts. Sometimes she 

 interweaves one or two dead oak-leaves, so as to 

 render the deception more deceitful ; and, from 

 the number of wrens which abound, she evidently 

 succeeds. Starlings and sparrows and jackdaws, 

 which build in holes at a considerable elevation, 

 and have therefore less need of protection, hang 

 out straws and sticks and bits of wool and 

 feather as impudent advertisements. Wheatears 

 and such birds as build in low walls cannot 



