344 The Zoologist — August, 18()6. 



has had a slight lateral extension, and is now about an inch and a half 

 in width by half an inch iu depth. Like other late nests it is bnt about 

 four inches from the eaves. The rebuilt nest is now finished externally, 

 the shell having been coiu])leted in nine days, or, allowing two days on 

 account of the old foundation, eleven days ; but it is JuUy a third less 

 in size than usual, and has yet to be lined. A third nest, full-sized, 

 has taken about twenty days in building. 23rd. The new nest is now 

 about two inches wide and an inch deep; both birds have been hard at 

 work, one occasionally turning off the other. A nest was commenced 

 yesterday in front of the house, by a small patch of clay being placed 

 close to another, to which it has now been joined, though the founda- 

 tion is on a much higher level, so that the nest will be at least a third 

 less in height. 25th. Liltle work done yesterday, which I think was 

 partly owing to the roads not being watered and the intense heat: 

 thermometer 73° at 1 p. M. 1 have remarked that after a shower double 

 the work is done. Though rather more progress has been made to- 

 day, but one nest has received any considerable addition, and I observe 

 that one nest has a hole at the bottom. The house sparrows are 

 seemingly in undisputed possession of the old nest, which is quite open 

 at the top. 20'th. The nest commenced on the 21st has had some addi- 

 tion, but it dries so quickly under a scorching sun, with the thermo- 

 meter at 80® in the shade, that it is impossible to say how much. To 

 the new nest iu front of the house, begun on the 22nd, a large piece 

 has been added, and it has now a very peculiar appearance, looking like 

 a broken saucer. Tiie reason of its being atlacht d to another nest is 

 now made appan^nt to the least observant. Instinctive master- 

 builders ! they are saving both time and labour by building on to 

 their neighbour's gables : reason and instinct, truly, are nearly allied. 

 27lh. The last mentioned nest has had considerably more than an 

 inch added since yesterday, but then it must be borne in mind that the 

 walls are a third less in extent than usual. The birds go into the nest 

 build, and, on bringing a large quantity of mud, de])osit it iu two or 

 three different places, smoothing ofi" the inner surface by turning round 

 as on a ])ivot. 30th. The nest commenced on the 21st has been com- 

 pleted externally, or nearly so, in the ten days, but is very small, and 

 still too open. The shell of the new nest in front of the house is also 

 finished in the rough to-day, being the ninth day, and is now not unlike 

 a pine-apple in shape, with its upper side flattened at the eaves, the 

 lower side somewhat curved and tapering to the opening, which is at 

 the apex of the cone, its base resting on the other nest, so that it has no 



