256 NATURAL HISTORY. 



over the nest all the hotter hours, while 

 with wings expanded, and mouths gaping 

 for breath, they screened off the heat from 

 their suffering offspring. 



A farther instance I once saw of notable 

 sagacity in a willow-wren, which had built 

 in a bank in my fields. This bird a friend 

 and myself had observed as she sat in her 

 nest ; but were particularly careful not to 

 disturb her, though we saw she eyed us 

 with some degree of jealousy. Some days 

 after, as we passed that way, we were de- 

 sirous of remarkinsT how this brood went 

 on ; but no nest could be found, till I hap- 

 pened to take up a large bundle of long 

 green moss, as it were, carelessly thrown 

 over the nest, in order to dodge the eye of 

 any impertinent intruder. 



A still more remarkable mixture of saga- 

 city and instinct occurred to me one day 

 as my people were pulling off the lining of 

 an hotbed, in order to add some fresh dung. 

 From out of the side of this bed leaped an 

 aniiTial with great agility that made a most 

 grotesque figure ; nor was it without great 



