Extracts from the Diary of a Blue-Tit 347 
ROBIN. 
woman come and peer into the box (the woman is too short to see in and 
has to be hfted up). I expect they are jolly curious to see the first ege; 
I hope to goodness they won’t take it. I know very well that they eat some 
birds’ eggs, especially plovers. I call this a shame, and it is very stupid, too, 
for whatever charge may be laid at the door of some birds, for robbing fruit or doing 
other harm, no evil can be said of the “peewit,’ who does nothing but good—more 
good than the majority of people ever do. I have talked this matter over with 
Josephine, and we have decided to cover up the eggs as they are laid and thus avoid 
putting temptation in his path. When they are once sat upon it will not matter, for 
he does not eat them in this condition—if he can help it. 
May 12th—The nest was finished last night, but Josephine refused to let me even go 
to look at it this morning, saying she wanted to put a few finishing touches by herself, 
and that if I would go and hunt up caterpillars she would join me in _half-an-hour. 
At the end of the half-hour she arrived and told me to come to the nest, she 
had something to show me; without waiting for a reply she flew off agai and I 
followed.  Glancing into the box I saw a sight which took my breath away, so 
totally unexpected was it. In the nest lay a most beautiful egg, pinky-white, with 
minute red dots and blotches! Having looked at and admired it for some time we 
were alarmed at hearing a noise, and hastily covering it over we flew up into the 
fir tree. There was the man coming over the grass, and we chuckled mightily as 
we saw him just glance in and then go away. So far our treasure was safe. 
May 2Ist—This morning the tenth egg was laid, and madame began her 
task of hatching them out. About midday the man came out and looked in the 
box; Josephine did not move, and he went away without disturbing her. In the 
afternoon I begged her to let me take her place while she went to get some food. 
This she refused to do, however, saying I was too clumsy and might break some of 
the eggs, but that they would not hurt if left for half-an-hour or so. I was to 
stay near by in case anything tried to disturb the nest, and was to call her if 
