SANDPIPER AND SPARROW-HAWK. 51 



great elms that stand in a circle round it, making his 

 way most cautiously ; for if the sparrows and finches 

 noted him the alarm would be given directly, and 

 his plans would be frustrated. 



Quack - quack ! Up paddles the old drake for 

 his share of food. This is resented by the prin- 

 cipal rooster, who makes a fly and a stroke at 

 father duck. The latter bobs down, and returns 

 the compliment by seizing the cock by the breast, 

 pulling out a billful of feathers. Now would be 

 the moment, surely, for our sparrow-hawk to dash 

 down and clutch one of the nice fluffy yellow duck- 

 lings. But he resists this temptation; he knows 

 that his time has not quite come 3 - et. It is not 

 far off, for from the house comes the farmer's 

 daughter, carrying on her arm a basket of food 

 for the pigeons. The sparrow - hawk makes one 

 more move, and now he is right opposite the dove- 

 cot. " Coo-coo-coo," the birds murmur, as their 

 mistress approaches. Pouters, tumblers, nuns, 

 Jacobins, runts, and fantails — all are there, with 

 one exception, feeding at her feet. Her small pet 

 fantail, alas ! stops on the cote, just to show off 

 before his mistress until he thinks it time to secure 



