272 
One pair of greater tits 
selected a box that was far 
too large for their nest, and 
consequently spent many an 
extra hour filling up the surplus 
room with moss. They seem 
to prefer: a hole just large 
enough to squeeze in, doubtless 
finding from experience that 
the smaller the aperture the 
less risk is there of interference 
from cats, or from other birds— 
although in this last matter the 
2 tee 
NESTING-BOX. 
straws wound round the sides. 
Another three days passed, and 
the whole contents, including 
the four 
the lawn 
was strewn on 
underneath. Then 
the birds made yet another start, 
constructed a nest of sensible 
size, laid a second batch of e2es, 
and successfully reared a brood 
of youngsters. 
Yes, it certainly pays the 
gardener to expend a little 
trouble 1m fixing up boxes, for 
VI OS 
egos, 
Animal Life 
GREATER TIT WITH NEST IN BOX. 
greater tits are quite competent to take care of them- 
selves, and will defend their home with vigour. 
Starlings are birds possessed of curious characters. 
A pair took to one of my boxes some weeks before 
actually beginning to build, and one or other of the 
pair was always close at hand, on the watch to prevent 
others intruding. Then we saw them busy, early and 
late, for a week or more, and on looking in the box 
we found it contaimed one celandine, a piece of coloured 
string, and two or three straws. They rested for a time 
and then began again, and in a day or two had filled 
up practically the whole box with straw, twigs, and 
various odds and ends. A few days later the box was 
emptied once more and four eggs were laid at the 
bottom, on the bare wood, with merely two or three 
ie: 
NEST OF 
A NESTING-BOX OPEN, SHOWING YOUNG GREATER TITS. 
