6



late Miss Kingsley’s black fellows did when entering on a

dangerous path ; he always urged that she should go up the

road—alone—by herself—first—a mile ahead of the part}', and

the next time, perhaps, the enemy might not shoot at sight if

they happened to notice that she was something queer, and that

she might explain things, and then the rest of the party would

follow ! !


I have often acted that suggested part in bird-dom! I

suppose that some day the avicultural enthusiast will meet with

the sad fate of the pitcher that went too oft to the well; he will

get “stony broke.”


My ignorance in birds is still colossal ; and although the

vast cavity in my mind is only as yet very partially filled up, it

nevertheless contains a great deal of curious information. I say

curious, advisedly; for many books on birds seem to suggest

that, over the minds of all young beginners, a placard has been

set up with a sort of advertisement to this effect : “ Rubbish

may be shot here.” On that suggestion they had all apparently

acted.


I found in these books statements made which subsequent

experience has completely falsified ; and, concerning some of

the marvellous accounts of nesting and reproduction therein

recorded, I hold the opinion that the old Scotch lady had regard¬

ing certain passages in the history of the early Jews—that “it

was a long time ago, and habelings it was not true.”


Sometimes, you know, a man will say to you, “I’ve done

so and so.” Its a bit too large for my belief hatch, but, if you

like to get it down yours, you’re free and welcome to ship it.


I sha’n’t do that. Mine is a record of actual experience,

often bitter and costly; but, such as it is, I humbly lay it before

the reader; and if you ever go to what Aristophanes calls the

“ kingdom of birds,” you will find things to be as I have

said. I am anxious to make a book that people who do not

know much about birds may believe, even if they criticise its

points, so I give details that a more showy writer would omit.


Aviculture is like the Arctic regions in one particular,

that when you have once visited those regions, you want to

go back there again. I know there are some who deny this ;

but if you were to tell many of those who will, in a fit of the

blues, tell you most emphatically that, if they could “ sell out all

those beastly birds, see if ever they would go in for them

again ” ; and you were to take them at their word, and buy them

out—you would find them some fine day, in the not far distant



