The Lay of the Band 
caves and hollow trees? It is a most extraordinary 
change, this change from the trees to the chimneys, 
and it does not seem to have been accompanied by 
an increase of architectural wisdom necessary to 
meet all the contingencies of the new hollow. The 
mortar or glue, which, I imagine, held firmly in the 
empty trees, will not mix with the chimney soot, so 
that the nest, especially when crowded with young, 
is easily loosened by the rain, and is sometimes even 
broken away by the slight wing-stroke of a descend- 
ing swallow, or by the added weight of a parent bird 
as it settles with food. 
We little realize how frequent fear is among the 
birds and animals, nor how often it proves fatal. A 
situation which would have caused no trouble ordi- 
narily, becomes through sudden fright a tangle or a 
trap. I have known many a quail to bolt into a fast 
express train and fall dead. Last winter I left the 
large door of the barn open, so that my flock of jun- 
cos could feed inside upon the floor. They found 
their way into the hayloft, and went up and down 
freely. On two or three occasions I happened in so 
suddenly that they were thoroughly frightened, and 
flew madly into the cupola to escape through the 
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