138 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



kind had disappeared — perhaps to swell the collection of some budding 

 oologist. 



We examined the nest carefully, and it certainly seemed a hybrid structure, 

 being composed of dead ivy leaves, some grass, one or two tufts of red flannel, 

 and an inner lining of wool and fine grasses. 



After our inspection we retired to a bank a few yards away, and, sitting 

 down to await events, soon had the satisfaction of at least seeing the Robin 

 return to the business of incubation. But of the Wagtail we saw not a sign, 

 although we waited for some hour or so. In fact we at length began to grow 

 sceptical and to consider the possibility of some one having placed the Wagtail's 

 eggs in the Robin's nest for fun, and the chance of the Wagtail having been 

 seen near the nest in search of flies. And yet there remained the fact that 

 the story of both birds occupying the nest had been told to us by three inde- 

 pendent eye-witnesses as to whose bona fides there could be no possible question. 



In the evening of the following day my brother and I again visited the 

 place, and to our delight^ — and I must confess astonishment — found both the 

 Robin and the Wagtail sitting on the nest : the Robin underneath, and the Wag- 

 tail rather to the side of the nest and covering the Robin's tail. 



On our third visit we found that all fom- birds — ^the pair of Wagtails, and 

 the pair of Robins were engaged in feeding the curious family, and delivering 

 the food indiscriminately as far as we could make out. On one occasion both 

 Wagtails were on the nest together, and had the situation been better lighted 

 we should have had no difficulty in obtaining photographs ; for in the course 

 of an horn- the Wagtails came to the nest thirteen times. 



The Robins seemed very shy of their partners, and although they occasionally 

 settled for a moment on the nest and hurriedly poked some food down the first 

 gaping mouth that presented itself, they were obviously in a state of nervous 

 tension. 



On the following day it was the Robins, curiously enough, which were 

 chiefly in evidence, for they paid fifteen visits to the nest between six and 

 six-thirty, whilst the Wagtails only put in an appearance three times — and 

 that diu-ing a period of nearly three hours. 



Next day, like the preceding one, tiu'ned out to be a Robin day : for 

 although we watched the nest for some hours, and saw the Robins continually 

 feeding the young ones, we did not once see the Wagtails visit the nest. They 

 hovered quite near to it, and dashed like little hawks at the Robins when they 

 saw them offering food to the youngsters. 



It was curious to see Robins reduced to such a state of fear as were those 

 two, for when the Wagtails perched near the nest they kept at a prudent dis- 

 tance, and waited until the coast was clear before venturing to feed the young 

 ones. 



Unhappily this strange ' menage ' was fated to an untimely end : for a 



