9O More Tales of the Birds 



Susan, I don't much like the job. I've a tender 

 feeling about those eggs." 



" Don't like the job ! " she cried, looking at 

 him almost fiercely. "Why, what's the matter 

 with it ? Look at these children haven't they 

 as much right to be fed as young Kites ? " And 

 Stephen, looking on his young birds, felt a 

 twinge at his heart, while the fledglings opened 

 all their young mouths at once in a chorus of 

 protest 



"It's a bad trade," he said at last : " I wish 

 I had never taken it up. So long as I collected 

 in foreign parts, it was all very well, and I was 

 young and independent ; but now I'm getting 

 old, Susan, and the travellers won't take me 

 with them ; and here in England there's no 

 price for anything but what's a rarity and 

 rarities do me as much harm as good. I tell 

 you, Susan, those Kite's eggs last year were the 

 very mischief: it got about that I had taken 

 them, and my name's in bad odour with the best 

 naturalists. It's those private collectors, with 

 their clutches and their British-killed specimens 

 that I have to live by now ; and a precious 



