238 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 



to erect last autumn ; she twittering what were evidently 

 very sweet injunctions to him as he swept up on 

 radiant wing, taking rapid flight at once, and returning 

 soon with what appeared a mud pellet, for which he 

 got the dearest of prettily mouthed acknowledgments. 

 It made one's teeth water, I confess, to note the eager 

 and yet so refined billing and cooing of that industrious 

 pair. The habitation rose rapidly tier by tier (not 

 without attracting the wistful eyes of our youngsters, 

 who have "no martin's eggs in their collections," and 

 which they won't have as regards this particular pair), 

 and the bride is now clearly engaged in important con- 

 siderations. See, then how we misjudge them ! Their 

 imperfect performance of last autumn was a proof of 

 foresight. The exterior of our house is so smooth as, 

 I think, to afford no temptation to a martin of average 

 enterprise and industry. This Romeo, however, was 

 possessed of an engineering turn, and so he took the 

 precaution of making a safe foundation beforehand for 

 his future dwelling. It gave one a lesson not to be too 

 ready to pronounce ill-natured judgment on the pro- 

 ceedings of a neighbour. I notice now another pair 

 beginning to survey the locaHty : they are clearly birds 

 of taste, for there is a lovely view therefrom, and I 

 shall not now be sui-prised or sorry if the whole lodge 

 be divided into building lots. 



I have had occasion latterly to observe in several 

 instances that short animals lengthen out at different 

 periods of their growth. I remember being struck by 

 that rare judge, Mr. Eastwood, giving a stiff figure for a 

 short, compact red calf I wondered at the time whether 

 it would always be stumpy as it then was. Late expe- 

 rience has shown me that both in cows, and pigs, and 



