24 



that I believed he was looking at a cock Redstart. 

 ' Look,' I said, ' at his beautiful eyes, and his lovely- 

 colours, and when his tail is grown and his wings 

 moulted out, he will be a gem.' ' Will be ! ' he said, 

 ♦ I might have known you'd find good to say for him. 

 I reckon when they want somebody to apologize for 

 *' the Old Boy " himself they will come to you ! ' 



Not many days after, I was lucky enough to light 

 on a lady Redstart for the modest price of 3s. 6d. I 

 have arrived at that philosphical time of life when it 

 is possible to place the curb of discretion in the mouth 

 of inclination, and to obtain as much satisfaction in 

 hazarding a few shillings on some comparatively 

 common bird, as might formerly have been derived 

 from the investment of many pounds in some out-of- 

 the-way specimen. 



When I introduced the hen, the cock was over- 

 joyed. His actions strongly reminded me of the 

 young lady's remark when she heard S. Paul's un- 

 inspired opinions on marriage, that those who were 

 married did well, and those who remained single did 

 better, — that ' she did not want to be better — but 

 well ! ' 



Many j^ears ago, when my cock Nightingale killed 

 my cock Redstart, I added j'et another paving- stone 

 to the Infernal Regions by determining never to get 

 another. And yet here I am with a pair ! 



Some people say that the Redstart is timid: I 

 should say that he is particularly fearless. He hops 

 on to the food-saucer with the sort of look, I should 

 imagine, that that historic character must have worn 

 who is said to have remarked, 'Fear! who is he? I 

 have never met him ! ' 



He is always exquisitely groomed, never a feather 

 out of place. He reminds me of a husband I once 

 read about — I never expect to meet him — who, when 

 he was asked why he was always so scrupulously neat 



