Nests and no Nests by Grant Allen
Nests and No Nests is a collection of essays by Grant Allen that explores the natural world and its inhabitants. The book covers topics ranging from bird nests to animal behavior, with a focus on how these creatures interact with their environment. Allen's writing style is engaging and informative, making this an enjoyable read for anyone interested in nature and wildlife.
By Grant Allen · First published 1890 · Genre: Nature Writing, Philosophical Essay, Ornithology · 1,489 words
First lines
STROLLING across the moor in the sunshine to-day, past the lonely pine where the night-jar sits crooning to his lady-love in the twilight, I came suddenly across his grey mate herself, and saw her flutter up sleepily in dazed surprise from the bare ground where she was sitting. As she flapped her mottled wings and sailed slowly away, like a blinking owl disturbed in the daytime, I noticed that I had lighted unawares upon her nest, or rather, her eggs, for she lays them on the open, without bed of any sort. I left them untouched, for I am no collector. A few minutes later, I came abreast of the low cliff where the sand-martins have established their twittering colony. The soft yellow sandstone that forms the cutting is honey-combed with their tunnels; and as I leaned on my stick and looked, I saw the busy brown birds gliding in and out, with their long curved flight, and carrying back mouthfuls of gnats and mayflies to their fledgelings in the burrows.
What this Textopian page supports
Nests and no Nests is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Nature Writing, Philosophical Essay, Ornithology, Travel Writing, Science Writing
- Length: 1,489 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Nests and no Nests by Grant Allen
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Nests and no Nests?
- How does this short story by Grant Allen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Nature Writing first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Our Winged House Fellows by Grant Allen
- Eight Legged Friends by Grant Allen
- Big Animals by Grant Allen
- Fish As Fathers by Grant Allen
- A New Name For The Mexican Red Bat by E. Raymond Hall
- Book About Animals by Rufus Merrill
Genres
- Nature Writing — The text focuses on observations of birds and their nesting habits, emphasizing the natural world and its intricacies.
- Philosophical Essay — The narrative includes philosophical reflections on the habits and evolution of birds, encouraging deeper thought about nature.
- Ornithology — The detailed descriptions of bird species and their nesting behaviors align with the study of birds.
- Travel Writing — The narrative style includes a personal journey across the moor, typical of travel writing.
Tags
nature · birds · habitat · environment · ecology · migration · species · behavior · reproduction · conservation · biodiversity · ornithology