DESERTED HOMES. 169 



Certain people, who, to judge from their course 

 of action, evidently consider the world — their own 

 narrow world — was only made for them to move 

 about in, might, in common courtesy to the general 

 public, leave a few wild creatures unhurt, if only 

 just as curiosities. If matters go on as they have 

 been doing lately, some common objects of the 

 country — at least they were such once — will have 

 to be sought for only in public museums. 



Even the brown brook-trout are giving way to 

 hybrids — of the same species, larger certainly, and 

 more predacious as feeders, but not equal to the 

 natives they have hustled out. It is only the old 

 story over and over again, of folks trying to put 

 round creatures into square holes. 



In concluding this chapter, I will simply state 

 that I have seen tenanted birds' homes in far 

 greater numbers than I have deserted ones ; but 

 I have not yet minutely entered into our British 

 birds and their nests in the breeding season, because 

 I hardly think I could do justice to the subject in 

 the limits prescribed. 



