THE HOUSE MARTIN. 319 



scarcely a part of it which does not bear marks of their labours. 

 At least a dozen nests have been begun and abandoned after a 

 few beakfuls of mud have been put together, probably because 

 the position is so exceedingly advantageous that the birds can 

 scarcely begin in one place without regretting that they have 

 not chosen a neighbouring spot. 



There is an interesting account in the " Zoologist," of the un- 

 expected skiU displayed by these birds : — " Under the eaves of a 

 house, not so high as to be beyond the reach of any urchin who 

 could procure a rod or fling a stone, a Martin had built its nest, 

 which had more than once been destroyed. There is no doubt 

 that, under ordinary circumstances, these birds would have gone 

 on building their habitation in the same place and manner, 

 if left to themselves and their own resources, although even in 

 such cases some important variation in the structure has been 

 known to have occurred. But, in the present instance, the 

 inhabitants of the cottage were not satisfied to see the labours of 

 their favourite perpetually rendered void, and they set their wits 

 to work, in what manner to secure them from harm. 



"The method adopted was, to place a small round basket 

 under the eaves, at the place where the nest had been, as a pro- 

 tection from injury below ; but it was attended with the incon- 

 venience that the handle prevented it from being pressed into 

 contact with the stone, while the breadth of the basket was so 

 great as to cause the wet dripping from the eaves to fall within 

 the cavity. It was to obviate this last annoyance that a flat 

 piece of board was laid as a cover to the basket, with the precau- 

 tion of leaving an opening, not in front, but at the side, for the 

 birds to enter, if they should choose to adopt this new con- 

 trivance for their advantage ; and they did justice to the kind 

 intentions of their fiiends by adopting it, and that, too, in a way 

 of their own contrivance. They began by placing a rim of their 

 usual mortar round the basket, at the border where the covering 

 board rested on it ; but in thus rendering it safe and close on 

 every side, they observed the precaution of leaving a small hole 

 at the side, by which to enter. In this convenient piece of 

 wicker-work they formed a cradle, in which they were able 

 successfully to rear their brood. 



" But this was not all. Another pair of birds had seen the 

 good fortune of their fellows, and they resolved to be sharers in 



