242 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



building over the parts where as a schoolboy I sought every nest, 

 and studied the birds, aided in this by another boy whose ad- 

 venturous spirit was unquenchable, and who "knew" every nest 

 in Downing, or in the meadows bordering Tennis Court Eoad. 



Even when not in the grounds, I was able to observe from the 

 window of the uppermost room over our Dispensary, by the aid 

 of a seaman's telescope, not only the Books building or repairing 

 their nests, and feeding their young ones, but in winter the 

 advent of any large, singular birds resting on trees. But I must 

 check myself, or I shall get on to writing about the birds of 

 Downing College, and this would make this article far too lengthy, 

 for, as I have just said, I could write a volume about them. 



While building Willoughby House, on the Mill Boad, of which 

 I was not only the architect but actually assisted in the practical 

 work of erection, I had splendid opportunities for observing 

 nature. Much of the work was done when the spring migrants 

 were passing along the very tract, leading right across this part, 

 which the birds pursued. When we had got the shell of the 

 house up, and I was on the joists of the roof helping the carpenter 

 nail on the slate-laths, I had a fir-tree close by my left hand, and 

 this was one of a row of fir-trees to which the Siskins came. 



Looking south-west I had an uninterrupted view across corn- 

 fields right away to the Gog Magog Hills. More to the right the 

 horizon was bounded by the trees in Brookland's Avenue, the 

 best part of a mile away. Looking to the north-west the town, 

 half a mile or so away, could hardly be seen for the bird-haunted 

 trees in orchards and groves. Turning round, and looking east- 

 ward, I could see, when on the ridge of the roof, right to the tall 

 poplar-trees near the old paper-mills across meadows and low- 

 lying semi-marshy ground surrounding a long pool of water, 

 which has been filled up and built on for years. 



It was in the just mentioned corn-field that I was able to 

 describe and sketch the method of the little Harvest Mice in 

 building their wonderful nests, so cleverly tied to the corn-stalks 

 by the little rodents. In our garden whereon we built my old 

 house, Babbits burrowed, and Weasels came after the Babbits, 

 although I have not seen one now about that part for over a 

 quarter of a century. But I have seen them farther afield in the 

 direction of Teversham and the Newmarket Boad. A farm half 



