THE BIRDS OF TERRIOK HOUSE. 105 



Within musket shot of yon barn door, a space some twenty feet by three or 

 four, is strewn with seeds, of which tlie Linnet is very fond, as well as with 

 the refuse of grain which proves attractive to other sj^ecies : this is provinci- 

 ally termed a " scrape," and a very expressive term it is, for the poor birds 

 who may be driven by hunger to visit it, soon find themselves in a sad scrape. 

 Ensconced within the barn, through the door or boarding of which, a hole has 

 been bored sufficiently large for the muzzle of the fowling piece to be thrust 

 through, and a view of the " scrape " obtained as well, is one who arrogantly 

 styles himself " Lord of the Creation," but whose doings proclaim him to be, 

 in reality, merely a petty tyrant over the weaker portion thereof. His eye is 

 fixed with a sinister expression upon the treacherous bait his hands have 

 spread. The murderous gun is lying beside him, loaded with small shots ; 

 the intention of the barbarous gunner being to maim the greatest possible 

 number, rather than to kill a few outright. The poor birds begin to assem- 

 ble ; timidly they approach at first; but, as neither net nor trap of any kind 

 appears in sight, they gradually acquire confidence ; their numbers swell and 

 increase every minute, until at length the whole " scrape" appears animate 

 with life ; from one end to the other it is covered with Linnets, Greenfinches, 

 Chaffinches, yellow, common, and a few black headed Buntings, with here 

 and there a Mountain Finch. The Sparrow keeps aloof; constant persecu- 

 tion, even from its cradle, renders this bird suspicious of everybody and al- 

 most everything : it knows fi'om bitter experience, that, except in very rare 

 instances, danger lurks wherever food is too invitingly spread, or wherever 

 a superabundance of it is to be found. Upon the dense mass of innocent 

 beings, the gun is now brought to bear; the finger of the murderer is upon 

 the trigger ; an explosion follows, and that which a moment before was a 

 mass of living creatures, sound and healthy, is now a mass of dead, dying, 

 and mutilated bodies. Scores are left dead upon the spot ; scores, more are 

 writhing in agonizing pain from broken limbs and other dreadful mutilations; 

 while many others are to be seen dropping here and there in the course of 

 their flight, sinking exhausted from mortal Avounds. On every hand may be 

 seen miserably crippled individuals fluttering away in terror, and vainly 

 seeking a hiding place. The author of all this misery issues forth to secure 

 his victims. To capture the wounded is his first care, knowing that the dead 

 cannot escape. Here, he seizes upon a poor blind wretch; there, upon one 

 trailing along with broken wing. Oh ! worse than savage ! does not its 

 terror-sti'icken air, as thou seizest it — the dreadful palpitations and throb- 

 bings of its little heart, thou canst not but feel as thou pressest it in thy 

 blood-stained hand, awaken within thee a feeling of pity or remorse? List 

 to its terrified cry — its piteous screams ! Look in its dear little eyes, how 

 imploring is their expression ! How eloquently they appeal to thy compas- 

 sion ! And can they appeal in vain? If they can — if thou canst indeed 

 close thine eyes to the poor little creature's supplicating look — if thou canst 



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