AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



their fly-books, but sooner or later, before start- 

 ing to fish, are sure to remark carelessly, " Oh, 

 by the way. Deck may just as well dig us a few 

 worms, don't you know." It is curious, but in 

 this paradise for fly-casting, worms are a regular 

 article of commerce ; quotations on the exchange 

 vary with the weather, and range from fifty cents 

 a quart in June to more than a dollar in the dry 

 weather of August and September. It was to 

 supply this demand conveniently, that we planted 

 these worms on the island, but it had the un- 

 looked for result of populating our home with 

 robins. To-day, I believe, we would willingly part 

 with every fish in the lake rather than with our 

 robins. They come in increasing numbers every 

 year, and if a large percentage of them did not fall 

 victims to the gunners in the Southern States, the 

 increase would doubtless be even more rapid. I 

 feel quite sure that the same birds return to us 

 every summer, and that the robin (like so many 

 other birds, and fishes too) wishes to build her 

 nest near the place of her birth. As no birds 

 of any kind are ever shot at on the island, ex- 

 cepting only the birds of prey, like hawks, owls, 

 and king-fishers, these robins become ever more 

 familiar and confiding. It is curious how quickly 



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