26 BIRDS' NESTS 



the eaves of buildings, or placed on beams and ledges 

 in sheds; whilst the Sand Martins of various 

 species, with their short, weak bills, burrow into 

 banks with as much ease as the Kingfishers, with 

 weak legs and feet (in many genera) construct their 

 subterranean abodes. The delicate Warblers (as for 

 instance, the Blackcap, the Whitethroat and the 

 Garden Warbler), all with appliances similar to those 

 of the Wren, make slight net-like nests ; whilst the 

 Finches (as for instance, the Goldfinch, the Bullfinch, 

 the Redpole and the Chaffinch), with clumsy beaks and 

 somewhat short legs, weave nests well and elaborately 

 made, and most beautifully adapted to the purposes 

 they serve. The Hedge Accentor felts its nest 

 materials together most cunningly and skilfully; 

 whilst the Whitethroat makes a nest so flimsy that 

 the wonder is it does not fall to pieces under the weight 

 of its nestling tenants. Some of the other Warblers, 

 with almost precisely the same appliances, succeed in 

 fabricating most elaborate and beautiful homes. We 

 allude to such nests as those of the Willow Wrens, the 

 Reed and Marsh Warblers, and the Tree Warblers. 

 Then the Jay and most birds of the Crow tribe, par- 

 ticularly the Magpie (its well-made and intricately- 

 woven nest is a masterpiece of avine architecture), 

 have powerful and somewhat clumsy bills and feet; 

 yet we know their nests can compare favourably with 

 those of any other class of birds. Many of the clumsy- 

 billed Gulls with webbed feet make well-made nests ; as 



