30 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



has to allow for the number and size hall to a new and showy mansion. 

 of his eggs. They are so many that The nest his grandfather built is good 

 his tiny mate would feel suicidally enough for him ; he will simply patch 

 inclined if they were presented to her the walls clumsily with a few additional 

 for incubation, spread out on a plate ; sticks, just to occupy the early days 

 and they are so small that a flick of of spring, and renew the soft lining 

 her fairy tail would send them flying if the winter winds have dealt un- 

 in all directions were they stored in kindly with it. But a new nest he 

 the pan of an open nest. So he will never build if an old one is to be 

 weaves a bag, with only a tiny opening had, unless the foundations have grown 

 at the top of one side for entrance, shaky or the walls gape to the weather. 

 They lie pouched up together in the He satisfies the main instinct of self- 

 depth of the pocket, and his mate defence by building aloft in spidery, 

 spreads herself over them, while the creaking twigs, and has no fads or 

 warm lining stores the heat of her niceties at all. 



eager little body, and yields it to the The wood and willow wrens build 

 bottommost eggs of all. The same late, and observe extraordinary cau- 

 plan of construction keeps the wee tion. Why they build so low often 

 bodies cosy when they issue from their almost on the ground, and sometimes 

 shells, and none can possibly be knocked actually on it is a puzzle ; but if we 

 out of the nest, for it is often difficult seek a reason in the paramount in- 

 to say exactly by what cranny the stinct, it is that since they prefer thick 

 parents come and go, so closely are country, they have to guard against 

 the upper walls woven together. A stoats and weasels rather than against 

 hard nest to find this, and a desirable domestic marauders, whether biped or 

 one to be hatched in. quadruped. Their nests are never 

 The rook is the exact opposite. He obvious to the eye, and though one 

 is select, exclusive, cliquy, an aristo- may chance to stumble on them now 

 crat who will herd with no rabble in and again, the nest is hard to see 

 the mean streets of the woodland, even when the bird has flown out at 

 but will only consort with his equals one's very feet. But examining it, it 

 in high places. Though lordly he is clearly best protected from the lower 

 cares nothing for outward appear- side, and so may well be designed to 

 ances, and rather prefers an ancestral escape the notice of creeping enemies, 



