NEST OF WHITETHROAT. 



SOME TYPES OF BIRDS' NESTS 



By BENJAMIN HANLEY 

 Illustrated with Photographs by the Author 



OX viewing a Chaffinch's neat, lichen- 

 covered, cup-shaped nest, one is 

 struck with its symmetrical out- 

 line and general beauty and possibly 

 wonders why it is that all birds do not 

 make their homesteads equally beauti- 

 ful. Whilst some nests appear trim and 

 neat, others seem to be the very essence 

 of untidiness ; but if one pauses to think, 

 it will be seen that the fact of their being 

 tidy f)r otherwise does not enter into the 

 plan of the builders. Each is adapted 

 for its owner's needs, and one and all are 

 built for utility. Viewed in this natural 

 light, all nests have equal beauty, and 

 those special degrees of elegance which 

 one at first admires are merely points of 

 ada])tation to its surroundings. 



Take, for instance, the Chaffinch's nest. 

 Why should the exterior be decorated 

 with cobwebs and grey hchens ? Simply 



to minimise the risk of detection. As often 

 as not it is placed in the fork of a small 

 tree either in gardens or woods, and the 

 outside of the nest harmonising with its 

 surroundings — viz. grey bark — it is easily 

 overlooked. 



The Lapwing, or Green Plover, merely 

 collects a few straws and grasses ; often 

 even these are omitted, and the eggs laid 

 on the bare ground. What use would an 

 elaborate nest be to this bird ? None 

 whatever. It would simply lead to the 

 discovery of its eggs, whereas the few 

 grasses which it collects appear as but a 

 handful of rubbish such as might easily be 

 blown together by the wind ; and where 

 no materials are used there is even less 

 danger, for the eggs agree so well with the 

 bare soil. 



The Kentish Plover, which lays its eggs 

 amongst st<jnes by the seashore, makes 



qoS 



