The Domestic Life of a Pair. 59 



up, they are at work again. At the beginning of their building, 

 they seem to have no objection to leave it for a whole day ; but 

 as it advances, they become more interested or anxious, and one 

 or both will sit in it all night, even though the weather be bad." 



So much for the building of these four nests of our picture ; 

 and now I will bespeak your attention to a little narrative of the 

 joys and sorrows of the domestic life of a pair of martins, which, 

 we will suppose, belong also to our group. 



"The building began on the ist of May, at daybreak. But 

 the weather was very much against them, being cold and 

 stormy, and it was the i8th of the month before it was finished. 



" Seeing their labours thus brought to a close, one could not 

 help wishing, considering how much it had cost, that the nest 

 might last them for many years. But on the 23rd of June, 

 during a heavy fall of thunder rain, almost the entire nest was 

 washed to the grcSund, together with the young birds which it 

 contained. A short time before the catastrophe, the old birds 

 were observed hovering about, and expressing great uneasiness. 

 Almost immediately after it happened they left the place, but 

 returned the following day, and spent it in flying about and 

 examining the angle of the wall. 



" Next morning they commenced repairing the nest. In three 

 days they had made great progress ; but again rain fell, and 

 their work was stayed. On the 30th, they advanced rapidly, 

 and both remained sitting on the nest all night. The next day 

 it was finished ; and now they began to rejoice : they twittered 

 all the evening till it was dark, now and then pruning each 

 other's heads, as, seated side by side, they prepared to spend 

 the dark hours in the nest. Eggs were soon laid again, but. 



