THE TURTLE DOVE. 261 



the skin was partially united, although, of course, no 

 feathers would, or could, ever grow on it again, for 

 the poor thing had literally scalped itself. 



After that I let the bird out into a small conser- 

 vatory, where it seemed to get on very well, for it could 

 hide behind the flower pots when anyone went near, 

 and it soon regained its health and vigour, but was so 

 horribly disfigured that I could not bear to see it and 

 so one day I took it across to the wood on the 

 opposite side of the common and let it fly away among 

 the trees, which it did with right good will, to my 

 great satisfaction, and that was the last I ever saw of 

 it, poor maimed creature ! 



I may add that I had agreed to give the former 

 owner half-a-crown for the bird, if, on receipt of it, I 

 was able to approve of its condition and appearance; 

 but when I sent him the blood-stained lid of the box 

 in which he had enclosed the Dove and explained that 

 owing to his careless packing the poor creature was 

 irreparably spoilt, he replied that I might keep and 

 do what I liked with it, as he would not have it back. 



It will not, I fancy, be amiss to add here, that in 

 sending to any distance a bird that has a habit of 

 springing up from the ground, such as a Pheasant, 

 Quail, Dove, or Pigeon of any variety, the lid of the 

 box in which it is placed should always be padded 

 on the inside with some soft material. I generally 

 use a couple of newspapers for this purpose and 



