176 AFFECTIONS OF BIRDS. 



A farther instance I once saw of notable sagacity 

 in a willow-wren, which had built in a bank in 

 my fields. This bird, a friend and myself had 

 observed as she sat in her nest, but were par- 

 ticularly careful not to disturb her, though we 

 saw she eyed us with some degree of jealousy. 

 Some days after, as we passed that way, we were 

 desirous of remarking how this brood went on ; 

 but no nest could be found, till I happened to 

 take up a large bundle of long green moss, as it 

 were carelessly thrown over the nest, in order to 

 dodge the eye of any impertinent intruder. 



A still more remarkable mixture of sagacity 

 and instinct occurred to me one day, as my people 

 were pulling off the lining of a hot-bed, in order 

 to add some fresh dung. From out of the side 

 of this bed leaped an animal, with great agility 

 that made a most grotesque figure ; nor w^as it 

 without great difficulty that it could be taken, 

 when it proved to be a large white-bellied field- 

 mouse, with three or four young clinging to her 

 teats by their mouths and feet. It was amazing 

 that the desultory and rapid motions of this dam 

 should not oblige her litter to quit their hold, 

 especially when it appeared that they were so 

 young as to be both naked and blind l \ 



1 I have seen the same thing with our common bat. 

 I once slept, during a very stormy night, in a house of con- 

 siderable age, and not in the best state of repair ; one of 

 the windows in my bed-room had been built up, but 

 so loosely, that bats and swifts had free access between the 

 wall and a large board that was placed on the inside, to 

 add to the warmth of the room. On the night above 

 mentioned, this board was blown down inwards, and the 

 room immediately filled with bats and swifts. Many of 

 the former had one or two young adhering to their breasts 

 while flying round the room, and even when knocked 

 down, were not freed from their burdens. Above sixty 



