Nest-boxes and Nests. 109 



soft water, and striving hard like echo to have the 

 last word. 



Well, but after all, you will say, these wooden boxes 

 are hut the bricks and mortar of their residence, the 

 bare walls, as it were, of their house, how did they fit 

 them up and furnish them ? In human families, most 

 of us know, when a little stranger is expected, great 

 preparations are made for his proper reception. There 

 is a nice wicker cradle, a soft and downy mattress for 

 his bed, fine warm woollen blankets to keep him warm, 

 to say nothing of the white pincushion with its pink or 

 blue ribbon, and customary salutation inscribed in 

 pinny type, saying, " Welcome little stranger !" What 

 have you then to correspond with all this ? Where did 

 you go a shopping ? Who was your upholsterer and 

 cabinet-maker, and how did you provide for their 

 wants ? Happily all these questions are soon answered ; 

 we had no suites of expensive mahogany, rosewood, or 

 walnut, to purchase; there was no perplexity in 

 choosing between oak and maple-painted or japan 

 ware ; we had no anxiety about either the colour of our 

 curtains, or the texture of our carpets ; lace and muslin, 

 damask or chintz, silk or moreen, had no charms for 

 our newly-married couples. No, they cared not a rush 

 for Axminster or Turkey, Brussels or velvet pile, 

 Scotch or Kidderminster, felt or drugget, cocoa-nut or 

 oilcloth for their flooring. Having no windows they 

 required neither Venetians for their blinds, or white or 

 buff hollands to keep out the sun. Gold cornices and 

 rods were alike dispensed with ; being always on the 

 wing they wanted neither staircase nor other carpet in 



