70 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



To this dissertation on what might be done, he 

 answered that if anyone could find out or invent any 

 new effective means to keep the birds from the 

 fruit, the fruit-growers would be very thankful for 

 it ; but that no such invention could be looked for 

 from those who are engaged on the soil, that it must 

 come from those who do not dig and sweat, but 

 sit still and work with their brains at new ideas. 



This ended our conversation, and I left him more 

 than satisfied at the information he had given me, 

 and with a higher opinion than ever of his geniality 

 and good practical sense. 



It was a relief when the noisy, bird-scaring busi- 

 ness was done with, and the last market baskets of 

 ripe cherries were carried away to the station. Very 

 splendid they looked in such large masses of crimson, 

 as the baskets were brought out and set down in the 

 grassy road ; but I could not help thinking a little 

 sadly that the thrushes and blackbirds which had 

 been surreptitiously shot, when fallen and fluttering 

 in the wet grass in the early morning, had shed 

 life-drops of that same beautiful colour. 



