Behaviour of Birds 



severe shelling of the trench before its cap- 

 ture, seemed absolutely without fear (Scots- 

 man, 28.xii.i8). 



Another fine chateau, that had suffered 

 badly from Boche shells, was deserted except 

 by a few SPARROWS in the drawing-room 

 (Country Life, 6.v.i6). Every house that 

 had been blown to bits by shell-fire provided 

 an endless choice of fascinating nesting- 

 places for SPARROWS among the chinks of 

 the ruined walls (Bird Notes and News, 

 vol. vii. p. 14). Flocks of SPARROWS might 

 be seen to leave a building which had been 

 struck by a shell only to return there within 

 a few minutes (Scotsman, 25.iii.i6). 



Small flocks of TREE-SPARROWS were fre- 

 quently seen on our wire in front of the craters 

 which divided the German line from ours (Ibis, 



*9*9> P- 57)- 

 Wire entanglements attracted CHAFFINCHES, 



who evidently considered them preferable to 

 brambles (Land and Water, I4.ix.i6), and 

 more than one nest was found in a tangle of 

 our barbed-wire briars (Daily News and 

 Leader, 22.iv.i6). CHAFFINCHES could be 



120 



