2o8 BOMBAY DUCKS 



A Club of human beings under such circumstances 

 would not be half so amiable ; there would be constant 

 bickerings and squabbles. Cliques would be formed, 

 which would soon terminate the existence of the Club. 



Good fellows though babblers be, they have their 

 enemies. The Brain-fever Bird, that wicked Indian 

 cuckoo, selects the sisterhood as her victims. She places 

 her egg among the beautiful glossy blue eggs of the 

 Seven Sisters, and thus forces these to perform her 

 nursemaid's work. But they do not seem to mind ; 

 they take things far too easily to be bothered by the 

 strange appearance, voice, and habits of one of their 

 nestlings. Nothing worries these birds. If one of them 

 ever writes an autobiography he will certainly give his 

 book the title " Hurrah for the life of a babbler ! " 



