xxi RIVERSIDE LETTERS 157 



character and persistency of the bird's tap- 

 ping, for it became quite a nuisance, waking 

 up the children out of their midday sleep. 

 The bird came always at the same time, 

 perched on the sill, and flew up repeatedly, 

 a dozen or more times consecutively, striking 

 its beak loudly on the glass each time. All 

 manner of contrivances were tried, in the 

 shape of strings and cotton to keep the bird 

 away, but with no effect ; some rat-gins were 

 even set on the sill where the bird perched, 

 but I am happy to say it simply avoided them. 

 After a bit the tappings became less frequent, 

 and although the bird still pays an occasional 

 visit it no longer occasions annoyance. 



It seems almost impossible to account 

 for this bird's strange behaviour. There 

 were no flies or spiders apparent on the 

 outsides or insides of the window panes. 

 It was to the night nursery window only 

 the bird came ; if the bird had been attracted 

 by its own reflection in the glass, there were 

 several other windows on that side of the 



