BIRDS' NESTS. 35 



old bird was not in the nest, so that there was 

 no fear of giving her any alarm. It was built 

 in a thick laurel-hedge about four feet from 

 the ground, and was made of small twigs, roots, 

 and moss, and plastered on the inside with 

 mud made as smooth as if the clever bird had 

 patted it down with a spoon. There were four 

 bright greenish-blue eggs in it, spotted with 

 black. The old bird had been sitting on them 

 about a fortnight, and Mr. Miller said that 

 they would be hatched in a day or two. There 

 was a wall covered with ivy between the 

 kitchen-garden and flower-garden ; in this a 

 bullfinch had built its nest, so safely placed 

 among the stalks and leaves that neither wind 

 nor rain could touch it. The bird had laid three 

 eggs in it, but had not yet begun to sit. They 

 were very light blue, beautifully speckled with 

 purple. Mr. Miller hoped the gardener would 

 not find this nest, for if he did he would be 

 sure to destroy it. " He is so vexed at having 

 all the flower-buds of the gooseberries eaten, 

 D 2 



