BIRDS' NESTS. 39 



for after a time the hen-bird left off sitting so 

 constantly, and was seen more frequently pick- 

 ing up the crumbs that were thrown out from 

 the breakfast-table. 



Nearly opposite the front door was a 

 Norway spruce-fir, about as high as the house, 

 with long drooping branches. Half-way up, 

 and near the end of one of these branches, 

 was a round ball of moss, which was supposed 

 to be a golden-crested wren's nest, because a 

 pair of those birds were often seen in the tree 

 climbing and hopping about quite fearlessly, 

 twittering to one another, and chirping out their 

 short, thin song. Soon afterwards, one only was 

 seen ; and at last no doubt was left about the 

 matter, for from one of the upper windows, 

 the old birds could be distinctly seen feeding 

 their young. He must have had a hard heart, 

 who would have interfered with the happiness 

 of these pretty little birds. 



Greenfinches were very abundant here, as 

 they are in most places. They built their nests 



