28 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



little architects to their somewhat ill-chosen site. This 

 structure, however, was removed like the former ones, 

 and on the evening of the following day a fourth nest 

 was there, and the bird upon it, putting the finishing 

 touches, and an egg was laid the following day, for I 

 could not find it in my heart to remove this, their fourth 

 piece of handiwork. I may add that all the nests were 

 excellently made. 



Many erroneous opinions are held as to the materials 

 with which this bird lines its nest. Some affirm that 

 cow-dung is the material used ; others, that clay and 

 mud form the lining. Let us closely watch a Song- 

 thrush when building her nest : we will suppose the site 

 is already chosen. In the first place a nest of dry 

 grass, straw, and a little moss, is made as the foundation 

 for future operations ; and then with wet mud or clay 

 she proceeds to line her handiwork. But this is not all. 

 When this first lining is still in a soft state, the bird repairs 

 to some decayed wood in the vicinity — old fences, roots of 

 trees, or dead branches, answer the purpose, it matters 

 not which — and after obtaining a small quantity, returns 

 to the nest and commences a second lining. How does 

 she moisten the wood for her purpose .? Not with her 

 saliva ; for with admirable instinct she seeks wood 

 already saturated with moisture, or, provided none can 

 be found in that condition, which very rarely occurs, she 

 moistens it in the nearest water. The selected pieces of 

 wood speedily become tunnelled by the repeated visits 

 of the bird, and in fact by all the other Song-thrushes in 

 the vicinity who are about to set up housekeeping. A 

 stroll in the nesting season through the localities 

 favoured by the presence of these charming songsters 

 will reveal quantities of decayed logs bearing the marks 

 of their repeated visits. But to return. The bird speedily 



