. Wild nature's ways . he edgeof the nest, and, to my bewilderment, began topull the lining out in great billfuls, and in a fitof uncontrollable anger scatter it to the groundbelow. How I sighed for my camera and agleam of sunshine whilst this was going on ! Desiring to give the American naturalistsexperiments a fair trial, I stayed for nearly three CURIOSITIES OF WILD LIFE. 59 hours with the ring ouzels, and as the weatherwas dull and cold, I was compelled to keep thechicks alive by warming them, three at one timeand two at another, against my own body. Atlast, when it became quite apparent t
. Wild nature's ways . he edgeof the nest, and, to my bewilderment, began topull the lining out in great billfuls, and in a fitof uncontrollable anger scatter it to the groundbelow. How I sighed for my camera and agleam of sunshine whilst this was going on ! Desiring to give the American naturalistsexperiments a fair trial, I stayed for nearly three CURIOSITIES OF WILD LIFE. 59 hours with the ring ouzels, and as the weatherwas dull and cold, I was compelled to keep thechicks alive by warming them, three at one timeand two at another, against my own body. Atlast, when it became quite apparent that themother-bird would be more likely to desert heroffspring than reconcile herself to the new situa-tion of her nest, I returned the structure to itsoriginal site, and within fifteen minutes of thistaking place she was covering her brood againwith a look of restored happiness. I have, since the above occurrence, conductedsimilar experiments on many birds of this andother species, but have never fallen across another. FRENCH PARTRIDGES NESTUNDER A PLANT-POT. 6o WILD NATURES WAYS. instance of the love of an odd nesting situationapparently outweighing maternal affection. The red-legged or French partridge, as it isalso called, was introduced into England sometwo hundred years ago, but has ne\Tr gained afooting either in Scotland or Ireland. It isgenerally supposed to be inimical to the interestsof its British representative, which it is said todrive away. As if anxious to refute this accusa-tion, a bird of cither species laid in the samenest, and commenced to share the labours ofincubation side by side with sisterly amiabilityin Essex last spring. My brother journeyed along way in order to secure pictorial records ofthis unique sight, but, unfortunately, a disastrousflood robbed him by an ace of liis opportunity ofdoing more than show the nest and eggs afterthe water had subsided. An uncle of mine living in the North of Englandonce found a nest full of eggs belonging to a redgr
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