BIRDS' NESTS. 41 



could riot see it without bending back the 

 leaves, one of which hung down directly in 

 front of the opening. They did not visit it 

 to-day, because Mr. Miller said that the wren 

 very often deserted her nest if she was dis- 

 turbed. 



This part of the wood was very thick with 

 brambles and thorns, and Mr. Miller thought 

 there was a nightingale's nest somewhere 

 near ; for one of these sweet birds was nearly 

 always, except during the heat of the day, to 

 be heard pouring out his melody from one or 

 other of the trees hard by. In the early part 

 of the evening too he was silent, but after the 

 sun was gone down, when the blackbird and 

 thrush had piped their last song, and the 

 woods had become so still that one would 

 have thought every note of music over for the 

 night, all on a sudden his clear rapid strain 

 burst forth from the thicket, and was pretty 

 sure to be answered by some rival songster 

 from the adjoining copse. At what time he 



