THE HEDGE SPARROW 149 
cheerful ; perspiring under a hot sun and a heavy 
load, yet rejoicing on his way. 
Now, boys, let’s be off. Before we get on to the 
road, [ want to see what is going on in that laurel- 
bush by the gate. For several days I have noticed 
a pair of Hedge Sparrows flitting about that bush 
in a very business-like manner ; I suspect they have 
a nest in it. Gently! Don’t disturb or worry the 
birds any more than you can help. I like the idea 
of birds nesting in my garden. I think they pay me 
a great compliment by doing so, and I offer them all 
the kindness and hospitality I can. 
Yes, it is as I expected. Here is a neat little 
nest, built of moss, some twigs and dry grass, with a 
lovely lining of hair and some feathers. I never see 
a bird’s-nest without marvelling at the ingenuity 
and industry of its builders. Think of the quantity 
of material in the nest we now see, and of how it 
has been gathered and carried bit by bit. Observe 
the cleverness and neatness of this “‘home made 
without hands.” The birds must have been busy 
from dawn to past sunset for several days, working 
hard without a grumble, and in eager anticipation 
of the family which is to come by-and-by. There 
are four eggs of a delicate blue colour; they seem 
to have caught the azure of the sky. I always 
think the little blue eggs of the Hedge Sparrow are 
as lovely as any I have seen. 
But we must move away from the nest, for the 
birds are uneasy, and I should not like them to 
desert their eggs. They may lay one or two more, 
and in a short time there should be a family of 
young birds. Now that the old birds think we are 
