An Untimely End. 121 



depart from their memory before next summer ! 

 It was just launched into the world when it fell a 

 victim to my dog, for I had seen it in the nest 

 only an hour or two before ; I had left strict 

 injunctions for the confinement of all domestic 

 animals as soon as the young were seen to leave 

 the nest, but had not expected them to face the 

 world so soon. This was a beautiful little bird, 

 showing already the rich russet colour in what he 

 had of tail ; his legs and claws were of extreme 

 slightness and delicacy, and his whole colouring 

 and framework was far more engaging than is the 

 case with most young birds of his age. He had 

 already picked up, or had been given by his 

 mother, a pebble or two to assist his digestion. 



The Redstart was not a very common bird 

 about us until about three years ago, but now its 

 gentle song is heard in May in almost every 

 garden and well-hedged field. In August and 

 September the young birds are everywhere seen 

 showing their conspicuous fire-tails as they flit 

 in and out of the already fast-browning hedges ; 

 yet three or four years ago my daily walks did not 

 discover more than a few dozen in a summer. 



