﻿180 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 



external crack, however, is so narrow, that we could 

 not at first be persuaded there was sufficient room for a 

 bird to enter : wishing, however, to ascertain the fact, 

 we endeavoured to get in the fore finger and thumb, 

 but quickly withdrew them upon hearing a loud and 

 determined hissing noise, exactly like that of a serpent ; 

 and such we began to fancy was the real inhabitant, 

 until, retiring to a short distance, we presently saw one 

 of the parents fly into the crack and soon emerge 

 again. To show that the laws of nature in regard to 

 nidification are as strongly implanted in birds as are 

 their other instincts and habits, we shall here relate 

 another anecdote of the same species, which places this 

 fact in a singularly strong light. The pump in our 

 garden has an outer frame work of wood, the top being 

 roof-shaped, and lifting on and off, in order the more 

 readily to facilitate its repair. The spring of the year 

 1832 being rather wet, the pump was not used for some 

 few weeks ; the weather, however, soon became dry, and 

 on trying the pump, and finding great obstruction, we 

 removed the cover, which had only been half put on, 

 in order to ascertain the cause : this was at once appa- 

 rent, for the cylinder was completely choked up with 

 hay, moss, and feathers, all the materials, in short, and in 

 great quantity, for a nest ; and upon getting these out, 

 five or six eggs were found of the blue titmouse. Sur- 

 prised at the oddity of the bird in selecting such a situ- 

 ation for its nest, we cleared the pump, and concluded 

 the affair was settled. But, no. Three or four days 

 after, upon attempting to get water again, the pump 

 was as much obstructed as before : two or three hand- 

 fuls of hay and moss were again taken out of the cylin- 

 der, and the pump was again used ; before, however, 

 the same period had elapsed, it became again choked, 

 and, for the third time, it was again cleared of even more 

 litter than before. Now it was quite evident, on the 

 two last occasions, that the birds continued, with un- 

 exampled perseverance, to bring fresh materials as fast 

 as those they had deposited became wet ; for, after the 



