THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



155 



supporting pillar, was a wren's nest, from which 

 the young ones had flown ; on the next was a fly- 

 catcher's, with eggs in a second laying ; on the 

 third was another flycatcher's, with young ones 

 in ; on the fourth, a chaffinch's ; on the fifth, a 

 sparrow's ; on the sixth, another flycatcher's, and 

 so on, nearly every pillar bearing a nest. The 

 shrubs in the garden and orchard were similarly 

 tenanted. Thrushes' and blackbirds' nests were 

 very common. On a ledge of the orchard wall 

 were five young flycatchers being fed by the parent 

 birds, and an interesting sight it was. The old 

 birds graceful, grey creatures they are flew each 

 to its own post one the top of a stake, and the 

 other a spade standing in the ground near to 

 a gooseberry bush and, after turning its head 

 quickly to this side and that, with eyes watchful 

 and twinkling, would dart, swallow-like, at some 

 insect, often seizing it at the first dart, but some- 

 times twisting cleverly about for a few moments 

 in pursuit ; then it would bear its prey to the row 

 of fluttering winglets, and clamorous, wide-gaping 

 mouths on the ledge. It was a busy and pretty 

 sight, and the Gipsy dated her first liking for 

 natural history from it. 



In the stack-yard, which was thickly carpeted 

 with the scarlet pimpernel, was a lark's nest be- 

 tween two stones, and a thrush's built on a cart- 

 wheel ; and in a hole in the bank of the lane was a 

 robin's nest whereby hangs a tale. 



