Around the House 



one to expect much musical talent, yet it is pleas- 

 ing enough to see two or three on a frosty morn- 

 ing sitting on a chimney-pot, with heads well 

 thrown back and throats distended, their wings 

 drooped and quivering loosely at their sides, and 

 to hear their incessant liquid chatter, punctuated 

 every now and then by a high whistle. They 

 have, too, quite a reputation as mimics, and the 

 most practised ornithologist must sometimes be 

 deceived by their perfect imitation of the notes 

 of other birds. 



Even more welcome than either Starling or 

 Sparrow are the dainty House Martins, whose 

 mud homes just under the roof adhere so won- 

 derfully to the walls. It is a pretty sight to 

 see them clinging to the wall with their white 

 stockinged feet, discussing where the first piece 

 of mud shall be placed, but, for some reason or 

 other, the spot chosen often proves unsatisfactory, 

 and others are tried, till a mud line is drawn 

 horizontally on the wall ere the proper start is 

 made. The birds spend the earlier part of the 

 morning in building, and give up the rest of the 

 day to the dissipation of chasing flies in company 

 with the Swallows, thus wisely allowing their 

 morning's work time to dry and harden ere 

 attempting to add another layer. A small space 

 is left at the top as an entrance hole, and unless, 

 as is frequently the case, a pair of lazy Sparrows 

 eject the rightful owners and appropriate their 



15 



