Cruelty to Birds 219 



Some people think that one small voice in the 

 world does little or no good. 



At any rate, I couldn't resist raising mine in protest, 

 and that, too, indignantly. 



He flushed up and moved on ; but I did not see the 

 stick used again as long as the cavalcade was in sight. 



Continuing my ride on an animal that I had taken 

 care to assure myself had a whole skin, I was very in- 

 terested to see that all over the island large quantities 

 of redstarts had settled, and were apparently resting 

 before their final arrival on the mainland of Europe. 

 I couldn't help wondering whether any of the indi- 

 vidual birds I saw on Capri would in another day or 

 two be flying about in my own garden in England. 



Chi lo sa ? as the Italians say. Who knows ? In 

 the small straggling hamlet which climbs towards the 

 summit of the island there were three or four cottages, 

 on the walls of which cages were hung with golden 

 orioles, evidently by their behaviour being newly 

 caught. 



I kept my eyes alert for some of these birds at 

 liberty, as well as for hoopoes, but saw none. 



The view from the highest point is one of great 

 beauty ; the sea immediately below is of an intense 

 blue, which fades in tone as the eye wanders farther 

 towards the distance, where Naples with its white 

 houses fringes the shore in the heart of the bay. 



Behind, the waters stretch to the African coast, 

 sparkling in the sunshine ; in front, the Italian shores 

 curve from the entrance of the bay, and are lost in 

 the haze of the spring afternoon. In the inn, where I 



