192 BIRDS' NESTS. 



breast, marked down the centre by a dark 

 line. 



The ladder was again sent for, and Henry 

 having eagerly mounted it, thrust his hand 

 into the hole, and produced an egg of about 

 tlie same size as the nuthatch's, and of the 

 same colour, but marked with smaller and 

 lighter spots. There ,were three or four eggs 

 in the nest, but one only was taken, and the 

 nest was not disturbed any further, so that it 

 was not known how many were laid. In due 

 time, however, they were hatched, and a family 

 reared. There was nothing remarkable in the 

 fact that the bird should have selected a spot 

 which another bird had deserted ; but it was 

 very surprising that the tit should have found 

 out the place so soon after the nuthatch had 

 deserted it, have finished a very neat nest, and 

 laid several eggs, all within ten days. Sparrows 

 often build in martins' nests, and hawks in 

 crows' ; but these are old nests. Here, how- 

 ever, the new comers must have set to work 



