NEST BUILDING. 59 



sheepfold, or the feather from the farm-yard, or 

 the moss from the bank, or the twig or lichen 

 from the tree. In most cases, the labour of nest- 

 building devolves on the female bird, and when 

 her companion aids her, it is simply by carrying 

 the moss, or wool, or grass, to the appointed spot, 

 while many birds fail in even rendering this assist- 

 ance. The hen bird collects her materials, and 

 weaving a framework of dried stems and twigs 

 she by various movements of her body moulds 

 the other substances to their destined form. 

 There are birds which, like the cuckoo, make no 

 nests, but leave to others the care of providing a 

 dwelling for their little ones ; but many nests are 

 framed with exquisite skill, and so exactly fitted 

 for the circumstances in which they are to be 

 placed, that we may say with Hurdis, of one of 

 them : "It wins my admiration." Great indeed is 

 the beauty of some of these structures, especially 

 of those of the finches. That of the chaffinch 

 or the goldfinch, of hemispherical shape, and 

 formed of a compact framework, with its warm 

 neat lining, is made with great skill and taste, 

 and would lead one to infer that its builder had 

 a love for the beautiful. The nest of the noisy 



