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a broken and decayed condition. There were two old holes of the Spilkraka, both below the 

 inhabited one, which was about thirty-five feet from the ground, and not of this year's making. 

 As the whole of the tree was perfectly smooth and very thick, there appeared no reasonable 

 chance of climbing up, so as to use the axe with any effect ; indeed the woodman shook his 

 head at the very idea, and we knew if he could not manage it, no one else could. The over- 

 looker was perfectly willing to allow the tree to be felled, as black poplar here is of no value ; 

 but there was nothing against which it could be felled, and to bring such a mass at once to the 

 ground would have been utter destruction to every thing in the nest. Nor was there any hope of 

 getting a rope attached to the upper branches, which were quite untrustworthy. Altogether the 

 prospect was very black indeed, and there seemed every probability that the second nest of P. 

 martins would prove too difficult of access for us. A council of war was held, when it was agreed 

 that nothing could be done that day, and that the matter should stand over for the present ; but 

 the woodman said he should return early in the morning and build a ladder on the spot 

 sufficiently high to reach the ' Bo.' It was to be ready next day at noon, when all the party 

 were to reassemble and assist in hoisting it. 



" Comforted by this assurance, we returned to a neighbouring forest settlement. Just at 

 dusk a man living near came and reported a ' Bo ' of the Spilkraka and another of the Hackspelt. 

 To the latter I proceeded immediately, but on cutting it open found three young ones half 

 fledged. 



" Next morning an early start was made for the third Spilkraka's ' Bo ' reported the previous 

 evening. It was situated in a much thicker part of the wood than either of the others; indeed 

 I am inclined to think, judging also from old nests, that this bird prefers to breed in the 

 neighbourhood of some opening, whether caused by nature or the axe. The hole in this case 

 was situated about halfway (twenty feet perhaps) up a dead fir. Being somewhat impatient on 

 this occasion, I requested the man to fell the tree, which he did in the course of ten minutes, 

 causing it fall with wonderful accuracy against one of its neighbours which he had selected ; but 

 the weight was too great, and both came to the ground with an awful crash. On going up to 

 the hole young ones were heard, but could not be reached without our further enlarging it. 

 The cavity of this nest was an inch or two over two feet from the honeycombed roof to the base 

 on which the young had rested ; these, together with much of the sawdust, had been thrown 

 forward, but singularly enough, though stunned, they were not killed by the concussion. Had 

 there been eggs, they must, I think, have been broken to pieces. There was a considerable 

 quantity of sawdust, which had the appearance of sand, the particles being much finer than 

 those of the nest in the birch tree. Three birds were all the nest contained ; they seemed to 

 have been hatched about four days. As there was no hope now for them, they were put into 

 spirits, and afterwards given with several others to my friend Mr. John Wolley, to whose 

 suggestions the results of this expedition were chiefly due. The old birds did not exhibit 

 the usual amount of anxiety ; but just before we left the female suddenly appeared and clung 

 to a tree within fifteen yards of our heads, where she remained for a few moments, and then 

 swung round to the other side, from which position she kept peeping at us, as is their wont, 

 but without uttering the peculiar cry. 



" There now remained the second nest, the taking of which was still doubtful, as I was 



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