58 NEWS FHOM THE BIRDS. 



its victim being also dead. Many birds, as I 

 have often proved by prowling about at night, 

 roost in thick thorn bushes and brush heaj)s, 

 where they are safe from owlish attacks. 



But to my mind the most ruthless nest 

 robber is the human one, commonly called a 

 "collector" — that is, a man who makes a 

 business of collecting birds' eggs for lucre's 

 sake. If he would collect only for museums, 

 and then only a few eggs of each species, it 

 would not be so sad ; but he often gathers 

 large numbers of eggs — as many as he can find, 

 in fact — and tries to dispose of them to private 

 individuals and mere curiosity hunters. I do 

 not see how any person can look upon these 

 " clutches," as they are called, as pretty orna- 

 ments, especially when one remembers the 

 heartaches of the little birds whose nests have 

 been plundered. 



The human collector knows better, because 

 he is endowed with reason and conscience, and 

 so I blame him more than I do the birds and 

 animals that ravish nests for food, for that is 

 part of their nature. Far be it from me to say 

 a harsh word about any one, but for my part, if 

 I should rob an innocent bird's nest merely for 

 sport or gain, I should feel that I was little 

 better than a burglar. 



