134 LORD LILFORD 



room with a bow-window which was of use on 

 many occasions as the stage-room. But of late 

 years, although used as recently as 1895 for 

 acting purposes, it was occupied by my brother 

 as his winter quarters. The stage platform 

 remained, but was raised and extended so as 

 to enable the occupant of the wheel chair to 

 see across the carriage road to the river, and 

 the old grey bridge which crosses it. There, 

 too, his quick eye could catch sight of and 

 identify any bird within his range of vision. 

 The room made a worthy setting for its owner. 

 The decorative panels on the walls were painted 

 by the admirable bird artist Mr. Wolf, and 

 represent various birds of prey. A likeness 

 exists, or is supposed to exist, between many of 

 us and bird or beast of different kinds, and it 

 was scarcely giving the imagination a very free 

 rein to detect some resemblance in my brother 

 — in the finely shaped head, aquiline nose, and 

 keen, bright eyes — to a grand representative 

 of the nobler class of ' Eap tores,' in which he 

 took so keen a delight. 



. His winter quarters were shared by many 

 feathered companions in cages. There in the 



