14 BIRDS' NESTS. 



pieces, and the birds have been frightened 

 away from it." 



" But is it always cruel to take birds' eggs, 

 when the nest is not destroyed ? " 



" Did you not hear me tell those boys that 

 it is cruel to give pain to any living thing; 

 and do you not think that a bird must be 

 pained and grieved, to have its nest torn to 

 pieces or stolen, and its eggs broken or carried 

 away ?" 



" Are hens birds?" asked Henry. 



" Oh," said Mr. Miller, " I see what you 

 are thinking of: you have been trying to set 

 a nice trap for me, by getting me to say that 

 it is cruel to take birds' eggs, although I often 

 have a hen's egg for my own breakfast." 



Henry looked somewhat ashamed ; for, like 

 many other little boys, he was rather given to 

 think himself wiser than his betters. 



" I will talk to you about that to-morrow. 

 Come away, now ; I wish to read the descrip- 

 tion of the nuthatch in Yarrell's British Birds." 



