THRUSHES. 99 



or three times, until their curiosity was excited 

 to watch the motions of the birds more narrowly ; 

 for they began to suspect that the male and 

 female were both implicated in this issue and 

 entry. Upon the joists of the shed were placed 

 along with some timber and old implements, two 

 small harrows used for grass seeds, laid one above 

 the other ; and they were soon aware that their 

 new companions were employed, with all the 

 diligence of their kind, in making their nest in 

 this singular situation. They had built it, said 

 the workman, between one of the butts of the 

 harrow and the adjoining tooth; and by that 

 time, about seven o'clock, and an hour after he 

 and his lads had commenced their work, the birds 

 had made such progress, that they must have 

 begun by the break of day. Of course, he did 

 not fail to remark the future proceedings of his 

 new friends. Their activity was incessant ; and 

 he noticed that they began to carry mortar (he 

 said), which he and his companions well knew 

 was for plastering 'the inside. Late in the same 

 afternoon, and at six o'clock next morning, when 

 the lads and he entered the shed, the first thing 

 they did was to look at the Mavis's nest, which 

 they were surprised to find occupied by one of 

 the birds, while the other plied its unwearied 

 toil. At last the sitting bird, or hen, as they 

 now called her, left the nest likewise ; and he 

 ordered one of the apprentices to climb the 

 baulks, who called out that she had laid an egg ; 

 and this she had been compelled to do some time 

 before the nest was finished ; only plastering the 

 bottom, which could not have been done so well 

 afterwards. When all was finished, the cock 



