174 BIRD NOTES 



to her and distracted her attention. One or the 

 other or another has been warbling a whispered 

 song deliciously in the rose hedge at dinner-time 

 lately ; twice it has done it, two days following. 

 I watched the creature quite close, but it turned 

 its back, and shook its wings and went on, so I saw 

 that the delicate attention was not intended for 

 me. There seem to be many robins about, coming 

 out into bloom and song. Perhaps we shall have 

 nests and eggs and young birds at Christmas : 

 such things have been here. 



October 5, 1893. 



Bobinette misses me in the garden, I hope ; 

 the last time I went there she was sitting waiting 

 for me on the sea-kale pot. She did not at first 

 take kindly to a new coloured dress, but after 

 wandering suspiciously about the skirt, she jumped 

 up in the gooseberry bush, and stared hard at me 

 as if to say, ' I must learn well the part of her 

 that does not change.' lieally that bird's face 

 was a study. Instead of the usual arch side-long 

 glance, it stared and squinted and blinked ; and 

 at last I believe it ' wunk,' as the Americans say 

 (don't you think we had better adopt some of their 

 strong preterites?) I am sure it wunk. Since 

 then it does not seem to mind what T wear, and is 

 very dear and affectionate. 



