BOYHOOD AND BIRDS. 73 



to the thorn on which it was spitted, and now seemed ready 

 to drop to pieces at a touch. It struck me at first that some 

 stupid boys must have been amusing themselves in torturing 

 the lizards, but then I saw that those thorns could not be 

 reached from below, and it was evident that some creature 

 was eating them gradually. This recalled, dimly, to my re- 

 collection, an anecdote I had heard somewhere of a bird that 

 was in the habit of impaling lizards in this way that they 

 might become decomposed somewhat by the action of the 

 sun, to prepare them for being eaten but, as I could not re- 

 call the name of the bird just then, I somewhat hastily dis- 

 missed the subject from my mind for the time ; I know not 

 for or what reason, but, because it somehow made me feel 

 uncomfortable. 



The runaway was reached at last, and I now returned as 

 proud of the success of my perseverence and enterprise as 

 of the birds themselves, and my new discovery. The first 

 person I met, when I reached home, was my sister, who ran 

 to me, exclaiming 



"Brother! you never did see creatures eat like our little 

 birds ! They do nothing but eat, eat, eat, all the time. I 

 never knew before that mocking birds were so greedy 

 and then they bite me so I" 



I smiled benignantly, as became a youthful Cuvier, and 

 holding out to her the new one, said, patronizingly 



"Look here! He could not escape me; although this 

 new variety have the cunning of wizzards ! Never mind the 

 appetite, Sis we shall be the more certain to raise them, 

 and their magnificent song shall repay us for a little addi- 

 tional trouble !" 



But Sis was not so easily comforted, for she said, as she 

 showed me some ugly marks where they had been biting her 

 little fingers severely 



"Well, brother, I hope you will not find any more of 

 your new variety, for I expect to have my fingers eaten off 

 by these that you have. They are not content with snatch- 



