THE CUIFF-CHAFF. 73 



became so familiar Avitli its master, tliat it would 

 sit and sleep on his knee as he sate by the fire ; 

 and would never attempt to fly out of the room, 

 even when the windows were open. ]\Ir. Sweet 

 wished to ascertain if it was willing to quit him, 

 and tried to get it into the garden ; but though its 

 favourite spoonful of milk was ofll'red as a persua- 

 sive, it was difficult to induce the bird to leave 

 the room, and twice it returned thither. The third 

 flight that it attempted, was to a small tree, from 

 which it again came to taste the milk ; then it 

 alighted on some chickweed ; then bathed and 

 betook itself to a holly bush to dry its plumes. 

 Here, however, the little bird was lost among tlic 

 leaves. Its master's voice seemed unheard, and 

 most probably the impulses of its migi*atory na- 

 ture came povv'erfully upon it. Perchance some 

 strange instinctive longing for a warmer land, 

 with its fruits and flowers, and gauzy insects; 

 some yearnings for companions, some restless de- 

 sire for flight proved stronger than even its affec- 

 tion for its master, and aAvay it went, to be seen 

 no more, though all its species had long since 

 departed, and were gone to see if November were 

 less dreary in other lands than in ours. 



