24 A GARDEN OF PLEASURE 



The chosen spot is very solitary and far 

 removed, and rarely does the old one 

 permit us to catch the least glimpse of 

 her prickles ! But the three little ones are 

 not so wary. It is very nice to take one of 

 them in one's hand, and peer into the little 

 black face and deep-set sparkling eyes, and 

 feel the soft under-fur and the little cool 

 feet ! One evening however, (there were 

 but two that summer) the young ones 

 rolled up instantly upon hearing footsteps : 

 and although a watch was kept at a distance 

 for full twenty minutes, the little prickleys 

 never moved. So we left them to them- 

 selves. 



All winter through, up to the end of 

 March, or longer, cocoa-nuts hang from 

 the Rose Arches for the titmice. The hole 

 is always made in the lower part, so as to 

 discourage the sparrows, who do not fancy 

 hanging head downwards. (It is not that 

 they couldn't do it, for there is nothing 

 they cannot do if they try !) . For a long 

 time they did not understand that cocoa- 

 nut was good. But unfortunately a nut- 

 hatch let fall some crumbs of it one day : 



