BIRDS' NESTS. 135 



the tree, a pair of flycatchers, whom I had not 

 noticed before, suddenly darted one after the 

 other from the branches of the tree, pecking 

 at the head of the hawk as they flew by. 

 The young bird of prey not being himself 

 quite fledged, was not able to resent this 

 insult, but every time that they approached 

 him dipped his head in fear ; until, at last, 

 tired of a game, all the sport of which was on 

 the other side, and getting a peck hard and 

 sharp enough to have been dealt in good 

 earnest, he hobbled away discomfited to the 

 garden. I have no doubt that what gave 

 these birds courage to attack an enemy so 

 terrible as a hawk, was a feeling of affection 

 for their helpless offspring, which, since my 

 discovery of its retreat, had been conducted 

 by them to another place of concealment. 



The nest of this flycatcher is usually built in 

 fruit-trees trained against walls, or projections 

 from buildings, or on the stout branch of a 

 tree ; and it seems to prefer gardens to the 



