AMONG THE BIRDS IN WINTER. 289 



middle of the day, and occasionally not till evening. 

 Sometimes only a few birds come, at others a 

 vast flock, many of them being strangers. As 

 the winter days pass on, the birds begin to make 

 a longer stay, and one or two pairs now and then 

 perch on their nests, as if to claim the ownership. 

 They will also visit the nest trees twice a day R 00 k s dean 

 now. but never remain to roost in them until the i 7 th 



February. 



first eggs are laid. Another bird that visits its 

 old breeding-place every day during winter is the 

 Starling. Regularly as morning comes, these 

 birds may be observed in pairs sitting on roofs 

 and chimney-stacks, or on the branches of trees 

 near their nest-holes. The Magpie also visits its 

 old nest from time to time during the winter ; 

 and this habit seems to be peculiar to most, if not 

 all, life- paired species. Home ties seem strong in 

 birds that mate for life, and marks of affection are 

 exchanged between the sexes throughout the 

 year. These birds love to sit side by side, to fly 

 and feed in company, and their mutually under- 

 stood place of meeting is the old nest. The 

 Jackdaw, the Raven, many of the Rap tores, the 

 House Sparrow, and some Titmice, are other 

 birds that pair for life, and more or less regularly 

 visit their breeding-places throughout the winter. 

 For ten years I have known the Starling and the 

 Rook conform to this habit without an exception ! 

 The songs of birds in winter must not be 

 overlooked. Music and love with most birds go 

 together ; gray skies and wintry landscapes are 



