BIRDS. 
315 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
Aves (Birds). 
Continued. 
We well remember the wondering delight with which, in 
childish days, we gazed on a Chaffinch’s nest. An elder 
companion had found it in the fork of an oaki and climb- 
ing up to the place, he drew asido the leafy twigs and re- 
vealed the beautiful little dwelling to our eager eyes. The 
particular construction of that particular one, we cannot, 
of course, pretend to describe, for it is a great many years 
a<m, and the note-book was not then so familiar to our 
hand as it has been since, but a vivid impression of the 
general appearance remains. Indeed, the spruce, smart 
little Chaffy builds one of the prettiest of British nests; 
the Goldfinch’s is somewhat more compact, and, being 
composed more of one substance, is neater, but we scarcely 
know whether we do not more admire the Chaffinch s. Of 
course you have seen both; Chaffy’s certainly, because it 
is so common and so easily found. 
What a beautiful cup of interwoven moss it is ! at 
least the frame-work, the exterior ! The pretty feather- 
moss (Hypnum) is chosen for this, because it grows in long 
strings, and binds well together; but this is only the outer 
