54 THE STORY OF BIRD-LIFE. 



a rubber ring is placed round the neck so that 

 the bird is bound to come to the surface to 

 disgorge it. Every now and then it is allowed 

 to keep one as a reward. 



Having now learnt something of the hunters 

 that scour the face of the earth, and " of the 

 waters under the earth," and of thos^i who delve 

 into the solid ground, we may profitably, in 

 passing, take a brief survey of the domain of 

 that lighter liquid that surrounds the earth — 

 the air. The children of the air — the bird 

 children— are not always the children of light, 

 for some hunt only during the reign of twilight. 

 And they are loved none the less on this account 

 by those who know them. On the contrary, 

 some of us love them more, they fill a place in 

 our affections which the others cannot share. 

 They are a part of some of the best and most 

 restful moments of our livts. When the heat 

 and glaie of the long summer day has passed, 

 and all is quiet and hushed, they break in 

 upon the stillness and give it life. AYho does 

 not love to remember, having known them, the 

 "churring" of the night-jar taking toll from 

 amongst the rank s of the lazy, humming, helpless 

 dor-beetles and cockchafers ; or the delirious 

 scream of the bow-winged swift, as he rushes 

 with a score companions down the village street, 

 and round the ivy-clad church-tower, snapping up 

 as he goes along, flics, gnats, and other winged 

 things too tiny for our eyes to see. They have 

 burno themselves in upon. our memories, and 

 rise at our bidding fresh as ever. 



Amongst the "children of light" w^e have 



