324 



INDEX 



Blackbirds (continued} 



Strange actions of, in con- 

 struction of nest, 173, 174 

 Hen alone observed to 

 build by author, 206; 

 cock seen to, also, by Mr. 

 Dewar, 206 ; transition 

 process probable ; but 

 which way ? 206, 207 

 Cock does not incubate, 207 

 But helps feed the young, 208 

 Blue-Tit, movements of, com- 

 pared with those of long- 

 tailed tit, 17 

 Note of, 1 8 



Steals materials from black- 

 bird's nest, to build with, 

 205 



Bower, the, may have grown 

 out of the nest, 70 ; or 

 out of the cleared space 

 where some birds meet to 

 court, &c., 70 



Bower-Birds, possible origin of 

 bowers, &c., of, 64-70 



CAT, effects of a, on author's 



observations, 265, 268 

 Chaffinch, hen demolishes the 



nest of golden-crested 



wren, 205 

 Hen alone observed to make 



nest, 205 

 Nest-building actions of hen, 



205, 206 

 Cheerful constitution, a, a good 



thing but not a good 



argument, 231 

 Children, death of, in quantity 



not affecting, 153 

 Cinnabar moth caterpillar, 



pupating habits of, 1 5 

 Ignored by fowls, 1 5 

 May offer example of warn- 

 ing coloration, 1 5 

 Coal-Tit, feeds on spruce-buds, 



1 6 ; and on larch-buds, 16 



Coal-Tit (continued} 

 Note of, 1 6 

 Motions of, 1 6 

 Extracts seeds from fir-cones, 



18, 19 



Possible origin of name, 19, 20 

 Nesting habits of, 194-197 

 Flies directly into nest, 195, 



196 



Composition of nest of, 197 

 Size of nest of, 197 

 Commensalism, possible origin 



of, 120, 121 

 Coot, change of coloration in 



the, 276 

 Has become more aquatic 



than moorhen, 285 

 Dives better than moorhen, 



285 



Bathes floating on water, 285 

 Cow-birds, their habit of de- 

 stroying their own, and 

 foster-parents', eggs, 273 

 Cuckoo, comes late in April, 92 

 Playground of, 93, 94, 97, 



Nuptial and social sportings 



of, 93-95 



Various notes of, 95, 96 

 Does the male only say 



"cuckoo"? 96, 102, 103; 



difficulty of making sure 



of this, 102, 103 ; some 



evidence on the subject, 



104, 105 

 Tune of, changed before June, 



96 ; the old rhyme about, 



not trustworthy, 96 

 Manner of feeding of, 98, 99 

 Becoming nocturnal, 99, loo 

 Persecuted by small birds, 



100, 101 



Possible relations to, of small 



birds, 100, 101 

 Not confounded by small 



birds with hawk, 101, 



102 



