Silvefspot 



shells and other white, shiny things. He spread 

 them out in the sun, turned them over, lifted 

 them one by one in his beak, dropped them 

 nestled on them as though they were eggs, toyed 

 with them and gloated over them like a miser 

 This was his hobby, his weakness. He could 

 not have explained why he enjoyed them, any 

 more than a boy can explain why he collects 

 postage-stamps, or a girl why she prefers pearls 

 to rubies ; but his pleasure in them was very real, 

 and after half an hour he covered them all, in- 

 cluding the new one, with earth and leaves and 

 flew off. I went at once to the spot and ex- 

 amined the hoard ; there was about a hatful in 

 all, chiefly white pebbles, clam-shells, and some 

 bits of tin, but there was also the handle of a 

 china cup, which must have been the gem ot 

 the collection. That was the last time I saw 

 them. Silverspot knew that I had found his 

 treasures, and he removed them at once ; where 



I never knew. . 



During the space that I watched him so 

 closely he had many little adventures and 

 escapes. He was once severely handled by a 

 sparrowhawk, and often he was chased and 



72 



