200 BIRDS 3 NESTS. 



the thief, whoever he might be, might have 

 stopped and laid down his prize here, in order 

 to wrap it up in paper brought for the express 

 purpose, so that he might carry it off without 

 exciting suspicion, in case he met any one 

 before he could get rid of his booty. 



From the wood Mr. Miller repaired to a 

 shrubbery yet nearer the house, to make sure 

 of the safety of a favourite white duck, which 

 had chosen to lay her eggs and sit on them 

 in a place quite accessible from the meadow 

 bordering the wood and garden. 



Domestic fowls frequently take strange 

 fancies. Sometimes they seem bent' on laying 

 their eggs all in one nest, in order that they 

 may afterwards fight for the ownership of the 

 whole ; and very frequently they take so strong 

 a dislike to laying in the place which has been 

 provided for them, no matter how well adapted 

 for the purpose it may be, that they will pre- 

 fer any other place to which they can get 

 access. A pile of wood, a haystack, a ditch, 



