30 BIRDS' NESTS. 



notion of counting ; if a chicken wander so far 

 from her that she cannot hear its cry of dis- 

 tress, she does not seem to miss it, and you 

 may take away several, if you can do so without 

 her seeing you, and she will not find out her 

 loss. 



" Many wild birds are like hens in some 

 respects. The night-jar, for instance, lays its 

 eggs on the bare ground, without building any 

 nest. I once had an egg of this bird given me 

 by a man who saw a night-jar alight on a rock, 

 stay there a few minutes, and then fly away. 

 He went up to the place, and found the egg 

 in the very spot where she had been/' 



"Have you got it now, papa?" said Henry. 



" No ; I kept it for several years, but not 

 knowing that it ought to be blown, it fell to 

 pieces, and insects destroyed it. 



"Most birds," continued Mr. Miller, "sit 

 very closely on their eggs ; and though very 

 wild at other seasons, will allow you to come 

 close to them while they are sitting." 



