MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. x 69 



could not wander far away, and it was difficult to find a bush or 

 hedge which had not been already explored by oologists quite as 

 eager as myself. 



Kingfishers' eggs were highly prized but very seldom found. The 

 bird as it flew by, leaving an apparent line of blue behind, and its 

 fresh eggs, more exquisite than pearls, we ranked with the most 

 beautiful of created things. Even in the East, where lovely species 

 are common in many parts, I never found with them that familiarity 

 breeds contempt, for up to the time when I bade adieu to India, 

 the sight of pied Kingfishers hovering over the Ganges, and other 

 brilliant kinds, gave me as much pleasure as their English cousins 

 did, generally — not always perhaps — at school. 



Chang, my partner in eggs, and I had been probing the Kennet 

 banks one day, and spying a likely-looking hole, we cautiously 

 approached it, when suddenly a Kingfisher flew out, nearly in our 

 faces. We went almost wild for joy, and poor Chang for some 

 time seemed to fear impending dissolution, for his almond eyes 

 portruded as we may imagine a shipwrecked sailor's would when 

 he sees a distant sail, " There goes the old Kingfisher," he cried, 

 " I'll take my dying oath," and for some time had any one come 

 strolling by and seen us there, he might fairly have supposed that 

 what little sense we possessed before had utterly departed now, for 

 we sprang into the air, and rolled upon the ground, executing a 

 kind of pas de quatre upon our backs, in anticipation of the prize of 

 eggs in store for us, located in that hole. 



At length we grew more calm, and thrust in our arms to draw 

 out the expected prize. But the nest contained young birds, and 

 the sleeves of our jackets acquired a most horrible odour, which, 

 as there was no such thing as changing clothes at school, we found 

 impossible to eradicate. Chang looked unutterable things, and so 

 did I, as I said good-bye to all our hopes. The boys who sat on the 

 same bench with us in school showered volumes of execration and 

 abuse upon our heads and arms, which my friend received as he 

 always did, very coolly. But I, who took foul words very much to 



