THE BIRD AND ITS SONG 131 



his horse toiled backwards and forwards from the town. 

 What had they to do with the ultimate sixpence of 

 carriage ? With the nosebag of corn and chaff which 

 would be the horse's reward for much haulage ? 



Nothing. They were Nature's hirelings intent on 

 Nature's work ; as such careless of aught else. 



One day in spring time, I found a tiny little blue tit 

 entangled between the four windows of the billiard room, 

 and to end his imperious disregard of glass, gathered 

 him up carefully after the fall which invariably followed 

 each mad rush at a pane. Such a tiny creature ! A 

 pulsing heart — no more — between my fingers and thumb. 

 Such a pulsing heart ! In sudden pity as I opened the 

 window wide to let the little thing go, I held it close 

 to my lips to kiss it ! Ye gods and little fishes ! The soul 

 of the creature was a devil — a tiny pulsing devil of 

 defiance, and I was staunching the blood from three 

 separate wounds in my lip while I listened to the tit 

 singing a pasan of victory from a holly-tree hard by. 



" They compassed me about ! Yea ! They compassed 

 me about, but in the name of the Lord have I destroyed 

 them ! " 



So it was no doubt ; that or something still more 

 self-satisfied ! 



Of the minor benefits we derive from birds such as the 

 killing of noxious insect life there is much that might be 

 said, but here it is enough to remember the words of the 

 Psalmist, " Oh ! That I had wings ... for then might I 

 fly away and be at rest." 



For in their wings and in their song lies the mysterious 



K. 2 



