on the Breeding of the “ Ruficauda.”



109



once or twice I caught Master “ Ruficauda” paying shame-faced

visits thereto, I concluded that eggs had arrived. Once or twice

I saw the hen returning to the nest from the seed tray, like a

Chinese Empress returning to her disturbed dominions, and this

made me happy and joyful of heart.


I was watching late one evening in September, when I

saw the Bearded Tits incautiously approach too near the nest.

In a moment Mrs. “Ruficauda” came bouncing out like a

veritable little fury, and the discomfited Tits fled incontinent.

Now I felt certain that the hen was sitting hard.


At the end of about three weeks I began to hear voices —

voces clamantium !—and the volume of sound increasing daily,

told me that the little beggars were as wick as whins ; a healthy

family of youngsters, protesting with yellow open - throated

sound that they were ready for another meal.


The cock now visited the nest no longer by stealth, but

openljr and in a most “ brazzen ” way, as we say up North.

Sometimes if he is too incautious his lady gives him a bit of her

lip. It always reminds me of what I heard a little boy ask his

father. “Father,” he said, “what is the difference between

conversation and talk? ” “All the difference in the world, lad,”

was the answer. “ Your mother converses with other folk ; but

she talks to me.”


I have seen Bathilda ruficauda take a bath, but it is on

rare occasions. When he does, I always think of the young

lady who met an old friend but lately returned from Marienbad.

“Well,” she said, “ doctor, where have you been ? ” “ Oh, my


dear, I’m just back from Marienbad, taking the baths, you

know.” She, innocently—“Really! that was a change for you,

wasn’t it?”


The song of B. ruficauda is all but inaudible. It always

reminds me of the remarks of a plain spoken member of his

flock to the minister. “ Well, Jock,” said the minister, “how

did you like my sermon yesterda}^? ” “ Weel, meenister, sin’ ye


ba’e speared,” was the reply, “I maun just tell ye that I ha’e

three objections to’t. In the first place ye read every word o’ t,

in the second place ye did 11a read it weel, and in the third place

it warna worth bearin’.”



