50 CITIZEN BIRD 



and wished to protect them, but he was so good-natured 

 that when his little boy came to him and said, ' 1 wish 

 so much to have some birds' eggs — all the boys collect 

 them — please let me take a few, father — only on our 

 own land,' he did not wish to say ' No.' Sometimes, to 

 be good-natured is as bad as to be cruel. This man 

 said, ' You may take one Qgg from each nest, but only 

 one^ remember.' So the boy went out and took a few 

 eggs, but then he carried them to school, showed them 

 to the other boys, and told them where they came from. 

 Then each boy said to himself, ' It will be all right if 

 I take only one Qgg from each nest.' But Avhen four 

 or five boys had each taken one, all the nests Avere 

 quite empty. So the poor birds left that man's field, 

 where the bugs and worms grew and throve, till they 

 ate up his hay and all the rest of his crops. 



^' When the nesting season is over eggs that have 

 not hatclied are often left in the various nests, tliat 

 you can take without doing any harm. Of course I 

 know it is not easy to keep your hands off such pretty 

 things as birds' eggs ; but if by doing so you can be 

 patriotic and useful, it is an act of self-denial that you 

 will be glad to do for the good of the country." 



" What is in that black case, uncle ? " asked Dodo. 

 " Is it a pistol to shoot birds? I think it looks too fat 

 for that." 



"Not tlie kind of a pistol that you mean. Dodo, but 

 the only kind that you youngsters need to bring down 

 birds so that you can see them. It is a double-barrelled 

 gun, but you must use your eyes for bullets, instead of 

 leaden balls. See ! " — and he took a fine pair of field- 

 glasses from the case, moved the screw a little, and 



