E322 Animal Life 
protected by thorns, ete., that it is practi- 
cally proof against the attacks of enemies. 
Nest-hunting with the camera gives one 
the opportunity sometimes of disproying 
popular errors; for example, it is generally 
understood that the common snipe lays four 
eges, and always arranges them with the 
small ends inwards; but this is not so. I 
once found a nest with four eggs in which 
all the small ends pomted towards one 
direction. I think, however, that this must 
be very exceptional. 
To come now to the photographs which 
illustrate this little paper. The nest of the 
Sparrow Hawk is placed in some elevated 
spot, generally in a fir or larch, and con- 
tains three to five eggs—sometimes six, as 
in the one photographed. I think this to 
be the maximum number. The ground 
tint is greyish-white with a tinge of blue, 
and a number of bold patches of very dark 
red-brown rather irregularly distributed, but 
~~ generally forming a ring round the larger 
NEST OF BARN OWL. end. There is often one egg with much 
lighter marking than the rest of the clutch. 
This hawk generally builds its own nest, though it often utilises that of a crow, — 
magpie, or rook. 
The Peahen, whose home is depicted in the second photograph, always roosts 
in trees, but makes her nest on the ground, generally on a bank raised above the 
common level; here she lays about twelve eggs, sitting very closely until they are 
hatched. he three eggs in the photograph were laid on a few leaves collected on a 
raised flower bed. 
The third photograph is of 
a Barn Owl’s nest and eggs. 
The nest, if one be made at 
all (for oftentimes a mere 
hollow serves the purpose), is 
built of a few sticks and twigs, 
with a little grass or straw, 
but seldom with hair or wool; 
and this is all it fabricates, 
and that to but a simall extent 
either of bulk or surface. The 
eges are white and of a round 
shape, generally two or three, 
and sometimes five or six, in 
number. The photograph was 
obtained at a height of over 
thirty feet im a hollow elm, 
but the nest beimg situated so 
far im, it was necessary to 
