52 



STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



lodging in this tree, and to-morrow our four 

 eggs will be birds, we hope. My wife has been 

 very 'anxious all day 011 account of the noise of 

 the anniversary, but I said, 4 Stay still, my dear, 

 and keep your temper, and I will attend to 

 everything.' You can 

 see the tip of her beak 

 and the end of her tail 

 from here, if you 

 look up." 



" How lovely ! " 

 said Tommy-Anne. 

 " May I come to-mor- 

 row and see your chil- 

 dren hop out of the eggs 



44 You could come, of course, 

 but I would much prefer that 

 you should wait a bit. Our 

 children do not hop out of the eggs ; they are 

 quite top-heavy and helpless, all eyes and 

 mouth. It makes us very nervous, clearing away 

 the shells and all that, without having any one 

 to watch us. I'm afraid if you came you might 

 make us upset ourselves again." 



44 What do your children look like when they 

 are young? Are they all soft and downy like 

 my little chickens and ducklings?" 



