KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



245 



building under the eaves of our house. "We love 

 their tribe dearly, and always encourage them. 

 The consequence is, that they share our hos- 

 pitality regularly, year after year. One pair 

 always build in a shed at the rear of the house ; 

 and last year, we had a nest constructed at a 

 very slight elevation from the ground. The 

 little heads of the inmates did look so pretty, as 

 they were raised up to receive the food brought in 

 by their parents ! A few days since, I removed 

 the old nest; so that all now is ready for their re- 

 ception. It is the practice of most young birds, 

 I believe, not to return to the nest after they have 

 once quitted it. [You are quite right, Mdlle.] 

 Last year, however, our young swallows, after 

 having been in flight all day, carefully ensconced 

 themselves at night in the family cradle. They 

 were packed in as neatly as ever ; and nobody 

 would have supposed they had ever been abroad. 

 How beautiful they looked ! and how happy ! 

 This continued for some days. I could furnish 

 you with endless anecdotes of our little families, 

 with whom we live in perfect happiness ; but this 

 will suffice for the present. Every day is adding 

 to our company. Our summer visitors are drop- 

 ping in with all the familiarity of old friends. It 

 is refreshing to see that they come to us with all 

 the confidence of a grateful heart. They are not 

 like the cold-hearted world, unmindful of a kind- 

 ness rendered ; but bear in mind, from year to 

 year, the friends who have made them welcome 

 at their table, and protected them lovingly during 

 their visit to a foreign land. — Heartsease, 

 Hants, April 18. 



[The pair of robins we alluded to last month, 

 as being so remarkably tame, have been " sitting " 

 on seven eggs. These eggs have recently realised 

 seven very pretty little infant robins. We have 

 been permitted to view them, although not to touch 

 them. Indeed, this last would have been a breach 

 of trust perfectly indefensible. The "happy family" 

 are thriving wonderfully. Very funny do they look, 

 packed in so closely ! And as for their powers of di- 

 gestion, they are fully equal to those of a London 

 alderman. To see what is lugged in by the 

 parents daily, and swallowed by their children — as 

 a matter of course, puzzles us exceedingly. Just 

 as these remarks meet the public eye, the nest, we 

 expect, will be empty. It is now (April 25) full, 

 almost to an overflow. We should add, that the 

 parents before taking in the worms, &c, tap at the 

 window with their bills every now and then, with 

 a view to direct attention to their movements. 

 Saucy, happy, innocent, confiding rogues are 

 they !] 



Life Assurance. — I am anxious, Mr. Editor, to 

 " assure my life " before I leave this country. I 

 purpose being absent two years. I am in my 

 thirtieth year, and should like to assure for 

 £1,000. Can you tell me what this would cost ; and 

 if the " Policy " will permit my leaving Eng- 

 land?— E. W., Chard. 



[We are fortunately in possession of the 

 Tables of the " National Assurance Investment 

 Association," 7, St. Martin's Place, Charing 

 Cross. In this we find chapter and verse given 

 on the subject of your inquiry ; and it is plain 

 that you may quit the country of England. In 

 table No. 7, we observe the following : — " A 



person aged 30 (next birth-day) may secure 

 £1,000 at his death by the annual payment of 

 £34 16s. 8d. during the whole period of life, 

 with liberty to proceed to all parts of the world, 

 without invalidating the Policy, or being re- 

 quired to pay any additional premium." Of 

 course you must be careful to keep up your 

 annual payment. We recommend your applying 

 to the Managing Director, Mr. Peter Morrison, 

 for a prospectus. It will now come " free" by post.] 



Black Fowls with Bed Feathers. — It is not un- 

 common for Spanish, Polands, or any other black 

 fowl, to throw a few red feathers. I have seen it 

 so often, I dare not say it is a sign of impurity — 

 nor do I think it is hereditary. These deviations 

 are equally common in other breeds, but as an 

 entire color is not so essential, they are not noticed. 

 Last year I had a Spanish hen moulted quite 

 white ; this year a cock of the same breed moulted 

 with an accurately-defined red stripe, down each 

 wing. I should be very sorry to destroy a bird for 

 a few red feathers. I believe there are no Polands 

 with pure white tops, — J. Baily, Mount Street. 



TheSicalloio in Sicitzerland. — In the last number 

 but one of our Journal, your amiable corres- 

 pondent — " Forestiera," has given a delightful 

 anecdote of swallows and their singular domicile 

 in the East, singularly but faithfully illustrating 

 their affectionate confidence in mankind. I can- 

 not refrain from bringing under your notice very 

 similar facts regarding the swallow, which occurred 

 to myself every year in Switzerland ; and which I 

 think shews the same confidence in mankind 

 which " Forestiera" has so charmingly described. 

 In the house that I occupied at Cour, near Lau- 

 sanne, was a very long gallery with seven windows, 

 which shut by open-worked shutters, or, as the 

 French call them, jalousies. The windows them- 

 selves are moveable, and fixed up in the winter ; 

 but removed in the spring and summer. Here, in 

 the spring, I used to keep my caterpillars ; and 

 the feeding and arranging these would occupy 

 nearly two hours every morning, generally from 

 five till seven. Here there were five swallows' 

 nests, and all the time I was feeding my caterpil- 

 lars, the swallows would come in and out as freely 

 as if nobody was there. Some were building or 

 repairing their nests ; some bringing food to 

 a nest full of little, twittering, gaping bills ; some 

 bringing insects to their faithful mate, who was 

 sitting on her complement of pretty eggs. Now 

 although I was moving about, and often the old 

 gardener, and six or seven young ones were 

 scrambling about the gallery — aye, and even old 

 " Fino " too, the swallows cared not for us, 

 unless it was occasionally to perch for a minute 

 on our shoulder. Then would they dart through 

 the window after more food ; twittering away after 

 their peculiar manner, as happy as birds could be. 

 The swallows seemed to welcome me as much as 

 I did them. — Bombyx Atlas. 



How to color Oil, Red, or Reddish Brown. — 

 Referring to " Violet's" inquiry {ante -p. 180), Oil 

 may be colored a very deep red by alkanet-root cut 

 small, immersed in the oil, and the whole placed in 

 the sun's heat. A reddish brown, by the aid of 

 Spanish arnatto. This requires a stronger heat. 



