^e THE STUDY OF ANIMAL LIFE 



The nests and eggs of our bird friends are in 

 many cases also well protected, and one may 

 mention the home of the Brown Wren among 

 dead leaves or bracken, the green cradle -home 

 of the Golden - Crested Wren among the pliant 

 branches of a Fir-tree, and the beautiful nest of 

 the Chaffinch, deftly woven against the bole of a 

 tree. 



The Partridge contrives to cover her eggs over 

 with leaves before commencing to sit, and thus 

 her eggs often escape detection, and th^ Little 

 Grebe frequently resorts to a similar proceeding. 

 The eggs of some kinds of birds which place their 

 treasures upon the pebbly beach, and the Lap- 

 wing upon the ploughed field, are very difficult to 

 detect, whilst some of the smaller birds who nest 

 upon the ground, such as the Chiff Chaff and 

 Willow Wren, Skylark and Tree Pipit, Grass- 

 hopper Warbler and Wood Wren, hide their 

 homesteads in such a way that much patience is 

 required before they can be detected. 



Among the Reptiles, Lizards and Snakes match 

 their surroundings in a truly remarkable manner, 

 and are so quick and active that to follow them 

 is often a sheer impossibility. I have seen the 

 Common Lizard sitting contentedly basking in 

 the sun quite close to me, but it was more by 

 chance than wisdom that I discovered it. 



Frogs and Toads are frequently seen to be pro- 



