134 MAY . 



there it is ; and strange things do happen. It is curious 

 how soon animals grow used to machines. In one or 

 chard, cultivated mechanically between the trees, the 

 tractor driver, who delighted in birds, could stroke a 

 missel thrush on her nest if he was seated on the tractor, 

 but could not come within ten yards of her if he was on 

 his feet. They grow used even to lethal weapons. I 

 have seen pheasants feeding happily between butt and 

 firing stand while busy rifle practice was in progress. 

 The bullets must have passed within two yards of the 

 birds heads. Some birds seem to be attracted to 

 machines. How the yellow-hammers enjoy nesting on 

 railway cuttings and embankments ! 



In one wood some of us spent a good while looking 

 for nests, and found none, till we came to a clearing, 

 noisy as a blacksmith s shop with the hatchets of the 

 fellers and the faggoters. Their mechanical tapping was 

 rivalled with the energetic song of the wrens, and we 

 found not one, but several nests, all built into upright 

 faggots, and you would say that other pairs were waiting 

 impatiently for more faggots to be up-ended ! Robins, 

 too, were building there ; and we heard the song of the 

 nuthatch for the first time. Any garden almost, unless it 

 is too utterly tidy, is liked by birds one garden of my 

 acquaintance had a tally of sixty odd nests one year, not 

 counting sparrows* and starlings ; but it is often a little 

 surprising to find the birds preference for the mechanical. 

 Last year a thrush built on the supports of a wired pro 

 tection and a post set up to defend and support a young 

 apple. Robins like rhubarb pots and tits old pumps and 

 starlings any pipe. As for wood-pigeons, they will make 

 a nest of bits of wire. 



The ground-nesting birds, plover, lark, pipit, phea 

 sant, and partridge, should find the competition for sites 



