THE HAVEN. 
729 
best of her power, in a similar manner. Courtship 
finished, both birds usually begin to carry out the repairs 
necessary to the nest, the male carrying, and his mate 
laying, arranging, and smoothing the materials. The 
nest itself is from two to three feet across, and a foot in 
thickness; the semi-spherical hollow is from four to five 
inches in diameter. The foundation is composed first of 
dry sticks, of about the thickness of the thumb, inter¬ 
mingled with mud and clay; the next layer is formed of 
thinner sticks, roots, and pieces of ling, upon which is 
placed the real nest, composed of strips of bark, moss, 
grass, small twigs, and lined with pigs’ bristles, and 
wool. The whole structure is thoroughly shot-proof, the 
locality selected being none the less calculated to render 
it so, for when the nest is placed in a tree, the tallest, 
thickest, and most inaccessible one is sure to be chosen. 
Thus, for example, our acute friend prefers the Scotch fir 
to the larch, on account of its very slippery bark; the 
nest is often placed on a dead branch, rendering the task 
of reaching it one of danger to life and limb, and the 
place selected is always either almost or quite inac¬ 
cessible. 
In the beginning of March the female lays four or five 
eggs : these are rough, pear-shaped, and of a grayish 
green colour, spotted and blotched with darker shades. 
The duty of incubation is performed by the female, 
without the assistance of the male; the latter, however, 
keeps his mate well supplied with food, and entertains 
her to the best of his ability during her tedious occupa¬ 
tion. Soon after they are hatched the insatiable youngsters 
cry out lustily, with their open mouths towards heaven. 
As soon as they can stand they tread the nest flat, and 
take great care to keep it clean; and even when kept in 
