72 BIKDS 



SWALLOWS' NESTS 



In the Spectator of August 25 I observe an interesting 

 letter on the above subject. Of the barn swallow your 

 correspondent writes: "They nest twice a year, never 

 using the same nest." Now, this statement must be 

 qualified, I think, as the following incident will show. 

 Last year a pair of swallows commenced to build on the 

 projecting ledge of a pillar supporting the porch of my 

 house. They had reared a brood in the same place the 

 previous year, and their presence was found to be rather 

 objectionable on the score of cleanliness. My wife 

 accordingly instructed the gardener to remove the half- 

 built nest, and, to deter the birds from renewing the 

 work of building, a small earthenware jar was placed on 

 the ledge. After the lapse of a few days the birds were 

 observed to be flying into the porch, and an examination 

 showed that the nest was being built on the top of the jar. 

 We did not interfere with this second attempt, and the 

 result was a brood of four young birds, which in due time 

 were fledged. The nest had not been vacated much more 

 than a week when the old birds were back at it , and again 

 a family of four was reared. While on the subject of 

 birds it may be interesting to some of your readers to hear 

 of the proceedings of a pair of thrushes which came under 

 my observation three years ago. About twelve feet from 

 one of the windows of my dining-room grows a large 

 Auricaria, and on one of the branches, close to the stem, 

 and on a level with the sill of the window, a nest was 

 commenced. The position was most favourable for 

 observation, and day by day we watched the pair of busy 

 thrushes at their work. In the natural course of events 

 the young appeared and grew apace. One day we noticed 

 that only three young birds were in the nest instead of 

 four, and we found that one had been pushed over the 

 side of the nest and lost. Soon the family left home, and 



