PIRDS AND BACON 169 



could not do it herself ! And the empressement and 

 care with which the male chooses a nice little 

 morsel, and puts it gently and tenderly into the 

 open mouth of the little quivering, squeaking 

 hen ! 



June 5, 1892. 



I have only seen my robin once since my re- 

 turn ; he saw me from afar at the window, and 

 flew up and took a piece of bacon graciously from 

 my hand, by way of saying that I was not for- 

 gotten ; but he is feeding his young ones in M.'s 

 garden, and she feeds him most constantly. 



My torn-tit came next day and all day ; for, 

 finding things quiet and the window open, instead 

 of tapping as usual, he dropped in, looked carefully 

 about-, and then found the plate under the desk, 

 and carried off a supply of bacon (to his family, 

 I suppose), and kept on doing this all day. He 

 made such a mess with the bacon that I was 

 obliged to put the plate elsewhere. 



The chorus of birds is almost too much ; the 

 whitethroats especially are singing incessantly, 

 and they overpower the blackcaps. One blackbird 

 is continually on the lawn, feeding a young one 

 that looks larger than himself. 



June 13, 189-2. 



All the birds have forsaken me, except the 

 very timid hen robin whom we named ' Spectacles.' 



