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birds by deputy. Money will do a lot of things, but money can¬

not keep an aviary going ; a man may be ever so rich and yet

the humble vicarage will beat him, because the vicar, although

like S. Peter, he has “ neither silver nor gold,” has love and

common sense.


In the vicar’s aviary you will find birds that always die

elsewhere. Many-colors rejoicing in the snow, Zosterops happy

at Christmas, Rufous-tail Grassfinches singing in spite of stormy

wind and tempest. Ask the priest how it is done ; he will tell

you that “ Amor omnia vincit.”


There was a time, and not so very many years ago too,

when albeit a Bachelor of Arts and also a quondam scholar of

my College—so far as foreign birds were concerned, I was sitting in

darkness and the shadow of death. I could not have told you

the name of the commonest bird that hops, and had I gone in

for an examination on foreign birds, I should have undoubtedly

received a polite intimation that I had “failed to satisfy the

examiners.”


Since then I have read every book I could lay hands on ;

I have interviewed countless patient aviculturists; and the birds

I have bought and lost would fill a fair sized cemetery. I have

at present enough travelling cages to start a bird shop ; and as

for boxes, I could keep the house in firewood for six months—

and yet I am not satisfied ; but, like Oliver Twist, am “ always

asking for more.” My wife often tells me that I am a perfect

godsend to the dealers, as they all know that they can pack off

their rubbish to Micklefield, and it is sure to be kept; and sad

prophecies are frequently uttered that we shall end our days in

Tadcaster Union. Let us hope not: “Video meliora.”


Sometimes, when I go and see a very gorgeous £\o<e>

aviary, I feel “a little bit down,” as they say up here; some¬

thing like Martha Penny felt anent the Dissenting Meeting

House after she had witnessed the gorgeous ceremonial of Rome :

“ Law,” she said, “ but it do look mean and pokey ! ” But then

I think of a story told of Sir Tatton Sykes. A visitor, small in

stature but large in self importance, severely criticised some of

the famous thoroughbreds. “ Well,” said Sir Tatton, “perhaps

you are right, we can’t get everything we want. If we could,”

he added drily, “ perhaps your father would like you to have

been a little longer in the leg! ” but there, you can’t have

everything! !



