BIRDS' NESTS. 233 



overawed him. He had been all along buoyed 

 up by the hope, that his story about Cobb-wood 

 was so plausible a one, that it must be be- 

 lieved ; as he was quite sure in his own mind, 

 that no evidence could be brought forward of 

 his having been in Mr. Long's wood, except 

 that of a man who could not inform against 

 him, without getting himself into mischief. 



The true state of his case was this. There 

 lived a few miles off a bird-fancier, whose 

 occupation was to catch linnets, bullfinches, 

 arid other small birds, and to sell them to the 

 dealers in London ; an employment so utterly 

 unmanly and cruel in itself, that it could not 

 but deaden the heart against all feelings of 

 mercy and justice. To this iniquitous occu- 

 pation he added the secret business of col- 

 lecting either with his own hands, or by 

 purchasing from any one who would supply 

 them, the eggs of pheasants and partridges. 

 These he sold either to London dealers, or to 



