EASY- CHAIR MEMORIES 145 



perhaps unintentionally, flopped down on one 

 or other of the nests, to the great trouble of the 

 inmates ; so we thought we were doing him a 

 kindness by setting him free. The aviary door 

 was of wire, and although it could not be 

 opened from the inside, it was an easy matter 

 to push it open about an inch from the outside. 

 The yellow-hammer had found his new quarters 

 very smooth and pleasant, with a good supply 

 of food without the necessity of working for it. 

 He did not care a fig for liberty, he preferred 

 the pleasant prison-house ; so when all was 

 quiet he returned to the aviary and managed 

 to push his way into it. The next day fresh 

 havoc was worked in the bird home, and several 

 young and innocent canaries were flung from 

 their nests ; so again he was turned out, and 

 again he returned, with the same deplorable 

 results. Lamentable to relate, on his third 

 expulsion this heroic little bird was caught on 

 the lawn (doubtless planning a fourth entry) by 

 a naughty little dog, and killed like a malefactor 

 in front of the aviary where he had been the 

 cause of so much pain and unhappiness. 



