58 LETTERS TO MARCO ix 



sycamore, dropping as it were from the 

 branches into the air and returning to them 

 in the prettiest way imaginable. 



It would have gladdened your heart to 

 have witnessed what I did last Sunday : a 

 whole brood of young tomtits (eight or nine 

 at the very least), on their first day's flight, 

 perched about among my rose bushes in the 

 morning- sun ; they were so delightfully tame 

 as to allow us to approach quite close ; they 

 pruned their little new wings, gave out their 

 little song one to another, and seemed so 

 perfectly happy hopping and flitting about, it 

 was most fascinating. At length, at some 

 signal from the old birds, I suppose, the 

 whole took flight, reaching the sycamore tree 

 in safety, I am happy to say. 



G. D. L. 



