42 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



almost horizontal branch was selected at the spot where there 

 was a bifurcation, as there is where two of our fingers spring 

 from the body of the hand. Now, as the blackbird's nest is of 

 the shape of a finger-bowl, and as China winds are sometimes 

 extremely violent, it is plainthat such nests would, if they were 

 formed exactly like the nests in England, be very liable to be 

 blown away. But here comes inthat naturaladaptability which 

 has already been mentioned. Madame Merula in this case laid 

 a foundation of wet mud, probably selected for its special ad- 

 hesiveness. This she pressed down into the roughnesses of 

 the bark with her breast and wings, getting into a dreadfully 

 dirty state by so doing. Her next move was to bring long strips 

 of fibrous material, grass, straw, and what not. These were 

 likewise pressed into the foundation before that had time to 

 dry. Then more and more of mud and fibre. All this was 

 foundation. And whilst it dries, gentle reader, and mayhap 

 modern engineer, will you be good enough to tell me the 

 difference in principle between this work of the blackbird and 

 that which you are now priding yourself upon, and which the 

 world is acclaiming as something quite new and wonderful — 

 reinforced concrete! I could not do so myself. All that I 

 know about it is what I have told you, and this besides, that 

 the nest was finished, that it stood the test of more than one 

 half gale, and that the family of four were duly hatched and 

 brought up. Just now, I could tell you where there are two 

 others, one in a similar position, the other in a more cupshaped 

 fork. Once they give their confidence, blackbirds give it 

 freely and completely. One of the present year nests is 

 within a few feet of the heads of hundreds of passers-by every 

 day. I know of a hawfinch's nest in an exactly similar 

 position. "Country Life" the other day gave a photograph of 

 a hen blackbird getting on her nest next to a clock on a man- 

 tlepiece. She had been tamed, but had the freedom of the 

 neighbourhood to do as she chose. 



Doves, too, in Shanghai, now that they have become 

 accustomed to being left alone, will nest in places where 

 passengers might almost touch them, and it is strange how 

 thousands of people go by, day after day, and are so blind as 

 not to see what is within reach. The dove makes no pretence 

 of building anything elaborate. She never has more than 

 two young at a time, often only one, and as these are as quiet 

 and sedate in manner as those of the pheasant and partridge 

 are the reverse, she need be tmder no alarm for fear they 

 will fall out. In the south of England the country people 

 used to read into the dove's song these words: — 



Coo-coo: Coo-coo: 



Put two sticks across. 



And that'll do: 



