BIRDS' NESTS. 167 



robin redbreast himself, prefers the neighbour- 

 hood of the homestead to the open country, 

 and too often, alas ! suffers for his trustfulness, 

 Every puny shepherd's boy considers its nest 

 as his lawful prey, and, however short may be 

 his stature, is able to make this at least his 

 prize ; for the hedge sparrow rarely builds 

 above four or five feet from the ground. But 

 though so many of these nests are destroyed, 

 there appears to be no decrease in the number 

 of the birds. The reason probably is, that 

 they breed several times in the season; and 

 as the leaf expands with the advancing spring, 

 though their first efforts are open to detection, 

 the succeeding ones are concealed within an 

 impenetrable veil of foliage. The nest is com- 

 posed of twigs, moss, and roots, felted together 

 with wool, and lined with hair. The eggs, 

 four or five, are of a uniform greenish blue, 

 somewhat lighter than those of the redstart, 

 and rather longer in proportion to their 

 breadth. 



