BIRDS' NESTS. 141 



CHAPTER IX. 



IT was now past one o'clock, and as they 

 had yet nearly a mile to walk before they 

 reached the village, Henry was told to walk 

 on steadily, and to think no more of birds' 

 nests for the present ; but this was not a very 

 easy order to obey. None but those who 

 have studied some branch of Natural History 

 are aware how difficult it is to a naturalist 

 to w r alk in the country without noticing the 

 various objects which present themselves. Mr. 

 Miller, however, knew it well; he was ac- 

 quainted with the names and properties of 

 most of the British plants, and with many of 

 the insects that fed on them ; he had made a 

 collection of the land and fresh-water shells 

 which were to be found in his neighbourhood ; 

 and long practice had enabled him to distin- 

 guish, both by their flight and note, all the 



