94 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



saying. Many years ago she convinced me of 

 the justice of these ideas ; your aunt and I have 

 adopted them from her ; and you will judge for 

 yourself as to* our success." 



I have written this conversation as well as I 

 can remember it ; and I may add, dear Mamma, 

 that nothing can be more just than what is said 

 of my cousins, for they are truly religious, but 

 without any show or ostentation. Some day I 

 will send you the nice simple prayers which 

 have been composed for little Grace. 



5th. Besides the two species of the little bird 

 that builds pendulous nests, which I have already 

 mentioned in my journal, my aunt has just told 

 me of another, the Sociable grossbeak. It is 

 about the size of a bulfmch, brown and yellow, 

 and is found in the interior country at the Cape 

 of Good Hope. Its habits were thus described 

 to my aunt : 



These birds live together in large societies, 

 and build in a species of acacia, which grows 

 to an uncommon size ; they seem to select 

 it on account of its strong branches, which 

 are able to support their extensive buildings, 

 and also for its tall, smooth trunk, which 

 their great enemies, the monkey tribes, are 

 unable to climb. In the tree described to my 

 aunt, there could not have been fewer than 

 eight hundred birds residing under a single roof, 



