BIRDS' NESTS. 31 



cc Oh, yes/ 5 said Henry, " I often creep 

 down to the thrush's nest in the laurel-hedge, 

 and watch the old bird. She never flies away, 

 nor even looks at me, but keeps her eyes as 

 steadily fixed as if they were made of glass." 



" Just so ; and I have heard that some birds 

 will allow you to touch them, but I have never 

 tried this. But some, on the other hand, are 

 very particular. The wood-pigeon, though she 

 builds a very careless nest, only a few sticks 

 crossing one another, is so particular, that if 

 any one touches her eggs, she never sits on 

 them again. Jenny-wren, too, is very jealous 

 of having her house meddled with. If any 

 one puts but a finger into her nest, before she 

 has finished it, she nearly always deserts it ; 

 but if she has eggs, or young ones, she is not 

 so particular." 



"And do wild birds count their eggs?" 

 asked Henry. 



" No, I believe not. As far as I have ob- 

 served them, they have no idea of number, 



