8o NATURE? S STORY OF THE YEAR 



ing to a cheery song of " chiff-chaff, chip-chop," 

 from a near tree. On a decayed pollard a starling 

 may be singing to his mate. Earlier in the year 

 he might have been seen extending his wings 

 towards her, and she joining in the song; but 

 now she is most likely on the eggs. On one of 

 the bushes a willow-wren may be seen courting 

 a bird as affectionate as it is melodious ; and 

 on approaching his consort he hangs his wings 

 loosely, and seems to be helpless with longing, 

 uttering meanwhile a very plaintive note. The 

 other bird, however, with true feminine instinct, 

 seems not to notice these attentions ; she hops to 

 another twig, or flies to a short distance after an 

 insect ; but this does not diminish the ardour of 

 the suitor. And then, perhaps, he finds and takes 

 to her a tangible offering, which is accepted. 



When naturalists shall at last have tired them- 

 selves with wrangling over the distribution of 

 species, and the comparative importance of certain 

 minor physical features, such as the length of 

 hind-claws or of tail-feathers, they will perhaps 

 take a leaf out of the book of the naturalist 

 photographer, and tell us more of the habits of 



