THE REDBREAST. 163 



the day, one of these birds constructed its nest early in the summer. 

 The place selected was the corner of a moderately high shelf among 

 pickle bottles, which being four-sided, gave the nest the singular 

 appearance of a perfect square. It was made of green moss, and 

 lined with a little black hair ; on the one side which was ex- 

 posed to view, and that only, were dead beech-leaves. When any 

 article near the nest was sought for by the housekeeper, the bird 

 instead of flying out of the window, as might have been expected, 

 alighted on the floor, and waited there patiently until the cause 

 of disturbance was over, when it immediately returned to its 

 nest. Five eggs were laid, which, after having been incubated 

 without success for the long period of about five weeks, were for- 

 saken. The room above this pantry was occupied as a bird- 

 stuffing apartment ; after the redbreast had deserted the lower 

 story, a bird of this species, — doubtless the same individual, — 

 visited it daily, and was as often expelled. My friend finding its 

 expulsion of no avail, for it continued to return, had recourse to a 

 novel and rather comical expedient. Having a short time before 

 received a collection of stuffed Asiatic quadrupeds, he selected 

 the most fierce-looking Carnivora, and placed them at the open win- 

 dow, which they nearly filled up, hoping that their formidable aspect, 

 might deter the bird from future ingress. It was not, however, to 

 be so frighted "from its propriety," but made its entree as usual. 

 The walls of the room, the tables in it, and nearly the entire 

 floor were occupied by these stuffed quadrupeds. The perseve- 

 rance of the robin was at length rewarded by a free permission to 

 have its own way, when, as if in defiance of the ruse that was 

 practised against it, the place chosen for the nest was the head 

 of a shark, which hung on the wall, (the mouth being gagged 

 may have prevented its being the site) ; while the tail, &c, of an 

 " alligator stuff' d " served to screen it from observation. During 

 the operation of forming this nest, the redbreast did not in the 

 least regard the presence of my friend : but both man and bird 

 worked away within a few feet of each other. On the 1st of June 

 I saw it seated on the eggs, winch were five in number : they were 

 all productive, and the whole brood in due time escaped in safety. 



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