.BIRDS' NESTS. 165 



also to build its nest in a hole in the ground. 

 A writer in the Zoologist has furnished the 

 following notice of a singular locality for a 

 redstart's nest: "In the spring of 1841, 

 I noticed that when I w r ent to a particular part 

 of my garden, a male redstart always appeared 

 much distressed, which convinced me that its 

 nest was near at hand ; but I could not find it. 

 One day, having occasion for a common flower- 

 pot, not of a very large size, I took one which 

 had been left inverted on a narrow path between 

 two sea-kale beds. On lifting it up, I dis- 

 covered a nest with five eggs, placed on the 

 ground. I carefully replaced the pot over the 

 nest, inclining it a little towards the south, so 

 that when the sun was shining I could dis- 

 cern the eggs through the hole at the bottom 

 (now, from its inverted position, the top) of 

 the pot. On passing it soon after, I found the 

 hen bird on the nest ; and she succeeded in 

 hatching and bringing up her brood, paying 

 no regard to my looking down upon her as I 



