DECEIVING WILD CREATURES. 49 



of the substantial walls of an old stone barn. 

 The aperture was about eighteen inches high 

 and two inches wide on the outside, and a little 

 over a foot in width on the inner, which opened 

 on to a great loft. The hole had been stuffed 

 up on the inside with a quantity of old hay, 

 through which I made a small tunnel in order to 

 watch the brooding bird at home. It was an 

 ideal place from which to make observations, 

 because, being dark on my side and light on that 

 of the bird, it enabled me to watch every action 

 on her part from a distance of only a few inches 

 whilst remaining absolutely unseen and unsus- 

 pected myself. 



Taking the chicks out of the nest, I put my 

 wooden eggs in, and waited with one eye glued 

 to the small circular hole in the stopping of old 

 hay. In a few minutes back came the starling 

 with a rush. She gazed in wonder at the contents 

 of the nest for a few seconds, but, quickly making 

 up her mind to accept the strangely altered 

 condition of things, she sat down on the bits of 

 painted wood without a trace of discontent in 

 either look or action. 



Putting her off again, I reversed the order of 

 things, and waited. Upon returning, the starling 

 stared in amazement at the change that had 

 come over the scene during her absence ; but 

 her curiosity soon vanished, and she commencecl 



