64 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
brothers," were incited by prospective bribes of ginger-bread 
or candy to join the hue and cry of hunters for the nests of 
the poor mocking birds. 
Though disgusted at all this, and most seriously alarmed 
lest they should be driven away, I myself continued, never- 
theless, steadily and patiently to watch the motions and 
haunts of the birds, day and night, with the hope of securing 
a nest for myself They were something to mC' — aye, of 
greater value than a Prince's ransom ! tliey brought to me a 
world of music — the minstrelsy of earth and air in one 
full throat ! I had a right to draw them near me, that 
they might fill my soul with gladness! Such was the 
logic with which I justified myself over the heads of other 
sinners ! 
However specious and egotistical m}^ logic may appear, 
my zeal was by no means impaired by any doubts as to its 
force and truth. Day by day I prowled the meadows, 
hedge-rows and gardens, carefully concealing my object un- 
der the pretence of gunning, and taking special care to ad- 
minister an awful warning to the little, freebooters aforesaid, 
whom I might chance to meet in the same search, upon the 
evil consequences attending bird-nesting in general ; becom- 
ing even pathetic towards the middle of my lecture, and not 
unfrequentl}^ winding u.p, on signs of obduracy becoming too 
apparent, with heavy threats of personal vengeance if I de- 
tected them in destroying a single nest. 
Though I had thus constituted myself their champion, the 
poor birds had not, in all their enemies combined, so much 
to fear, so ftir as their liberty was concerned, as in my single 
self I knew the sort of locality in which they might be ex- 
pected to build, and there was not a solitary thorn tree, low 
clump of thicket or matted wild vine that escaped examina- 
tion if it stood somewhat apart from every other growth ; 
for the bird, with us, always selected such places for its nest. 
I know its habits are very different in the extreme South, 
where I have seen the nests placed openly upon tlie top of 
