170 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



knowing you for the lord of creation, we humbly 

 worship you at a distance, and wish for a share in 

 your affection/' No ; the small, bright soul which 

 is in a bird is incapable of such a motive, and has only 

 the lesser light of instinct for its guide, and to the 

 birds' instinct we are only one of the wingless 

 mammalians inhabiting the earth, and with the 

 cat and weasel are labelled " dangerous/' but the 

 ox and horse and sheep have no such label. Even 

 our larger, dimmer eyes can easily discover the 

 attraction. Let anyone, possessing a garden in the 

 suburbs of London, minutely examine the foliage 

 at a point furthest removed from the house, and he 

 will find the plants clean from insects ; and as he 

 moves back he will find them increasingly abundant 

 until he reaches the door. Insect life is gathered 

 thickly about us, for that birdless space which we 

 have made is ever its refuge and safe camping 

 ground. And the birds know. One came before 

 we were up, when cat and dog were also sleeping, 

 and a report is current among them. Like ants when 

 a forager who has found a honey pot returns to the 

 nest, they are all eager to go and see and taste for 

 themselves. Their country is poor, for they have 

 gathered its spoils, and now this virgin territory 

 sorely tempts them. To those who know a bird's 

 spirit it is plain that a mere suspension of hostile 

 action on our part would have the effect of alter- 



