BIRDS' NESTS. 73 



CHAPTER V. 



THE starling's nest was destroyed in good 

 time, for the next day it rained very heavily, 

 and on the day following there was but little 

 improvement in the weather. Even if it had 

 not been pulled out by the gardener, it could 

 have scarcely been used again by the birds, so 

 thoroughly was it soaked with water. 



The chaffinch sat steadily on, just outside 

 the dining-room window, and continued, in 

 spite of the pouring rain, to keep her eggs dry. 

 Whether she ever left her nest to feed, could 

 not be found out. Henry often went to the 

 window to see, and there was always the same 

 tail projecting over the side of the nest. The 

 same tail at least it appeared to be ; but per- 

 haps the cock-bird sometimes took his wife's 

 place, in order that she might go and look for 

 a dinner, or perhaps he brought her food. 



