82 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



years, I have never known a case of wanton cruelty 

 occur in regard to wild birds. The labouring man, 

 whose work so often lies far from the haunts of 

 men, seeks companionship with the birds. Of these 

 none is more friendly than the robin, who is sure to 

 appear, however lonely the place. 



Often in my own haunts, when watching for days 

 together the movements and habits of some furred 

 or feathered creature, the robin has come and made 

 friends with me, becoming at last so intimate as to 

 sit on the toe of my shoe and share my meal. 



Birds are not the only creatures to be found thus 

 fearless of man. An artist friend of mine, painting 

 at his easel in a secluded spot in the Surrey hills, 

 saw a large viper come and curl itself up close to his 

 colour-box, too close by far to be agreeable. On 

 looking round he saw another coiled up near to his 

 easel. They would have done him no harm, but he 

 thought it safer to put a greater distance between 

 them and himself, and so left the spot. 



Vipers are known to feed on young finches at 

 times, for which reason no country lad will put his 

 hand into any nest built in a tree before first looking 

 into it. 



