134 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
if even this be denied him, he will find some hole, corner, 
or crevice, about the house, barn, or stable, rather than 
abandon the dwellings of man. The twigs with which the 
outward parts of the nest are constructed are short and 
crooked that they may the better hook in with one ano- 
ther, and the hole or entrance is so much shut up to pre- 
vent the intrusion of snakes or cats, that it appears almost 
impossible the body of the bird could be admitted; within 
this is a layer of fine dried stalks of grass, and lastly fea- 
thers. The eggs are six or seven, and sometimes nine, of 
a red purplish flesh colour, innumerable fine grains of that 
tint being thickly sprinkled over the whole egg. They 
generally raise two brood in a season; the first about the 
beginning of June, the second in July. 
1.9. Quail, or Partridge. 
The Quail begins to build early in May. The nest is 
made on the ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft 
of grass that shelters and conceals it. The materials and 
leaves are fine dry grass, in considerable quantity. It is 
well covered above, and an opening left on one side for en- 
trance. The female lays from fifteen to twenty-four eggs, 
of a pure white without any spots. 
20. Sea-Side Finch. 
The nest of this species is found along the margins of the 
sea and salt water inlets, and is built among the tall grass 
and rushes common to these parts; the materials are exter- 
nally of coarse salt grass, and inside of the smaller fibres 
of the same article; the eggs are four or five in number, 
and of a light blue ground, thickly sprinkled with dark 
brown spots, more particularly at the great end. 
21. Black and White Creeper. 
This bird completes its nest about the middle of May, 
and is generally fixed on the ground, at the root of a bush 
or sapling, and is composed externally of leaves, and in- 
side of slight layers of cow or horse hair; no other sub- 
stances compose its nest. The eggs are five in number, of 
a pale flesh colour, sprinkled thickly with light reddish 
brown spots. This nest is also a receptacle for the eggs of 
the Cow Bunting. 
22. Black-Capt Titmouse. 
About the middle of April, these birds begin to build, 
choosing the deserted hole of a squirrel or woodpecker, 
and sometimes with incredible labour digging out one for 
themselves. The female lays six white eggs, marked 
with minute specks of red; the first brood appears about 
the beginning of June, and the second towards the end of 
July. 
23. Marsh Wren. 
This little bird excels in the art of design, and con- 
structs a nest, which, in durability, warmth, and conveni- 
ence, is scarcely inferior to one, and far superior to many 
other birds. This is formed outwardly of wet rushes 
mixed with mud, well intertwisted, and fashioned into the 
form of a cocoa nut. A small hole is left two-thirds up, 
for entrance, the upper edge of which projects like a pent 
house over the lower, to prevent the admission of rain. 
The inside is lined with fine soft grass, and sometimes 
feathers; and the outside, when hardened by the sun, re- 
sists every kind of weather. This nest is generally sus- 
pended among the reeds, above the reach of the highest 
tides, and is tied so fast in every part to the surrounding 
reeds, as to bid defiance to the winds and the waves. The 
eggs are usually six, of a dark fawn colour, and very small. 
The young leave the nest about the twentieth of June, and 
they generally have a second brood in the same season. 
POISONOUS SERPENTS. 
Op the venomous serpents, the Rattlesnake of Ame- 
rica, and the Cobra de Capella of India, are the most formi- 
dable out of Europe; while the Viper, which, compared, 
with the former, is of little import, is the only European 
serpent which bears a venomous character; and the latter 
animal is annually so diminishing in numbers, that its 
complete extinction may be calculated on at no very dis- 
tant period. Climate, we know, has a great influence in 
the production and increase of reptiles of eviiry kind, as 
well as in imparting activity to the poison peculiar to ve- 
nomous animals; and from this circumstance, we can rea- 
dily comprehend, why the most formidable animals are to 
be met with in the warmest latitudes. But it is well un- 
derstood, if any credit can be given to historians, that 
ancient Europe was infested with serpents, both in num- 
ber and character, of which we hear nothing at the present 
day; and the common Viper, we know, is annually on 
the decline. We must, therefore, look for some other 
cause independently of climate, for this fortunate change 
in the natural history of Europe; and we shall probably 
