THE CROWS 



frightened little creature to have its neck at once 

 twisted and to die than to languish in cages hardly 

 large enough for it to turn in behind the dirty 

 panes of the windows in the Seven Dials. 



The happy greenfinch I use the term of fore- 

 thought, for the greenfinch seems one of the very 

 happiest of birds in the hedges accustomed dur- 

 ing all its brief existence to wander in company 

 with friends from bush to bush and tree to tree, 

 must literally pine its heart out. Or it may be 

 streaked with bright paint and passed on some un- 

 wary person for a Java sparrow or a " blood-heart." 



The little boy who dares to take a bird's nest 

 is occasionally fined and severely reproved. The 

 ruffian-like crew who go forth into the pastures 

 and lanes about London, snaring and netting full- 

 grown birds by the score, are permitted to ply their 

 trade unchecked. I mean to say that there is no 

 comparison between the two things. An egg has 

 not yet advanced to consciousness or feeling : the 

 old birds, if their nest is taken, frequently build 

 another. The lad has to hunt for the nest, to 

 climb for it or push through thorns, and may be 

 pricked by brambles and stung by nettles. In a 

 degree there is something to him approaching to 

 sport in nesting. 



But these bird-catchers simply stand by the ditch 

 with their hands in their pockets sucking a stale 

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