114 BIRDS' NESTS. 



that he was, but as pairing time was long past, 

 it was not at all likely that another Mr. White- 

 throat was visiting his friend. Birds are very 

 jealous of any stranger of their own kind 

 coming near their nest, and I particularly 

 asked Mr. Dean afterwards, if the bird w r as 

 fighting when he killed it. He was quite sure 

 that the one he shot was one of a pair, as he 

 watched them for some time bustling about 

 together in a very friendly way. The attach- 

 ment of birds for their nests must be very 

 strong indeed, if neither the report of the gun 

 nor the absence of the husband drive the 

 female from her eggs/' 



"Did she know that her husband 

 killed?" asked Henry. 



" I should think not. We must not suppose 

 that birds have reason enough to know what 

 the effect of a gun is. She was terrified at 

 the noise, no doubt, but I cannot believe that 

 she thought the report had anything to do 

 with her husband's loss." 



