THE LINNET. 13 



there is good to say about the birds, of whatever 

 sort, and tell it at home and abroad. Do not 

 covet what the birds eat. Cover up your share of 

 the berries in the garden with mosquito-netting, 

 or stand guard at the strawberry-bed when the lin- 

 nets and sparrows are talking about " berry-time." 

 You can get up with the birds, and have the best 

 time in the day before sun-up. While you are 

 keeping off the birds, you can learn what there is 

 to know about the strawberry-plants. See the 

 little baby strawberry-runners! They are chil- 

 dren of the old plants. They are tied to their 

 mother's apron-string until they are able to get 

 their own living. 0, it is a good thing for lin- 

 nets, and boys arid girls, to be alive in California! 

 They might go to school together. There is no 

 bird so fitted to be about the schoolhouse as the 

 linnet. Suppose the children of the lower grades 

 spent half an hour a day watching them? And 

 suppose there was a lettuce-bed or a little straw- 

 berry-patch under the window on purpose for 

 both to study? It would be as good for the chil- 

 dren as playing marbles. An owl's nest in the 

 belfry, and a lettuce-bed under the window! Ah! 

 these would make a kindergarten indeed. 



The wisest men and women and the smallest 

 children are taking more interest in birds than 



