155 



CHAPTEE XI 



January 28, 1888. 



IF I did not talk to the birds my jaws would grow 

 stiff. The tits have grown quite imperious. Tom 

 scolds loudly, hanging above my green curtain, 

 till I go to him, and then he shakes his wings 

 with delight, and goes to fetch his wife, if slie is 

 not pecking at the window below. She has taken 

 to doing that very often and loudly : is it for want 

 of a call ? But I believe it was she who the 

 other day sent forth quite a sparkling fountain of 

 little silver notes as I looked at her. She is so 

 much smaller than Tom that I could not be mis- 

 taken. Tom sings too at me if the scolding does 

 not succeed ; a loud trill it is, and quite irresistible. 

 But they waste my time dreadfully. 



March 18, 1888. 



Did I tell you that that small hen tit had taken 

 to tapping at the window for me ? at the wood- 

 work ; she is not tall enough to tap at the glass, 

 but she jumps up and looks to see if I am coming 

 afterwards. She woke me up tapping at my bed- 



