BIRDS' NESTS. 113 



Dean where he had killed it, he mentioned 

 the very bush where I had found the curious 

 nest. I turned to Yarrell again, and saw that 

 his description of that bird's nest agreed ex- 

 actly with the one which I had found." 



" And the other bird deserted, of course ? " 



" No, indeed ! Mrs. Whitethroat was not 

 very faithful to the memory of her dead and 

 stuffed husband. A few days afterwards I hap- 

 pened to be passing by, and saw the old bird 

 sitting on her nest. She flew away, as I dis- 

 turbed her, and I found five eggs in the nest 

 instead of three, and I presently saw a pair of 

 the same birds fluttering about as we saw them 

 just now. I concluded, therefore, that the lady, 

 affronted that her husband had deserted her, 

 had chosen another mate to sing to her while 

 she was staying at home, and to help her in 

 rearing her brood." 



" But, perhaps, the bird that Mr. Dean shot 

 was not her husband at all." 



" Why, of course, I cannot say for certain 

 i 



