BIRDS' NESTS. Ill 



Henry had not walked many yards, when 

 he cried out in great delight " Here it is ; 

 I have found it ! -no, it is only a bit of hay 

 yes, I have ! but it is not half finished." 



" Don't be too certain of that; let me 

 see." 



" Oh, I am sure that it is not finished, for 

 I can see through it/' 



" What is this then ? " said Mr. Miller, as 

 he carefully withdrew his hand from the nest, 

 holding a small white egg, beautifully spotted 

 with greenish-brown. " Do birds lay their eggs 

 before they have finished their nests ? How- 

 ever, I am not surprised at your thinking it 

 unfinished, for, as you see, the nest is built of 

 fine stalks, crossing each other at such dis- 

 tances as to have the appearance of coarse net- 

 work. But the skill of this bird seems to me 

 to be quite as wonderful as that of the chaf- 

 finch first, that it should be able to make the 

 inside round with such materials as these ; and 

 secondly, that it should be able to put them 



