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grave, sober-looking birds, which " shun the 

 eye of garish day," and the very shake of 

 whose heads would be pregnant with deep 

 meaning. You almost expect to hear the 

 pert magpie chatter, and the raven croak; 

 to see the linnet flit, or the " water-waggy " 

 move his tail. Then for faithful sketches 

 of character and scenery, occasionally heigh- 

 tened by a touch of sarcastic humor or moral 

 sentiment, what can exceed his tail-pieces ? 

 To instance only a few which I at this 

 moment can call to mind. The blind old 

 man quietly smoking his pipe, with his 

 youthful guide, who cannot read, or does 

 not see the direction, " Keep on this side," 

 on the point of leading him to a part of the 

 stream where he will probably be up to the 

 middle at the first step ; while the little dog 

 looks anxiously, from the first stepping-stone 

 of the right crossing, towards the erring pair. 

 An excellent example of the old saying, 

 " Wha's to guide the leaders 1" The great 

 snow-man, with two coals for eyes, a stick 



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