BOYHOOD AND BIEDS. 
73 
to the tliorn on wMcli it was spitted, and now seemed ready 
to drop to pieces at a touch. It struck me at first that some 
stupid boys must have been amusing themselves in torturing 
the hzards, but tlien I saw that tliose thorns could not be 
reached from below, and it was evident that some creature 
was eating them gradually. This recalled, dimly, to my re- 
collection, an anecdote I had heard somewhere of a bird that 
was in the habit of impaling lizards in this way that they 
might become decomposed somewhat by the action of the 
sun, to prepare them for being eaten — but, as I could not re- 
call the name of the bird just then, I somewhat hastily dis- 
missed the subject from my mind for the time ; I know not 
for or what reason, but, because it somehow made me feel 
uncomfortable. 
The runaway was reached at last, and I now returned as 
proud of the success of my perseverence and enterprise as 
of the birds themselves, and my new discovery. The first 
person I met, when I reached home, was my sister, who ran 
to me, exclaiming — ■ 
"Brother! you never did see creatures eat like our little 
birds ! They do nothing but eat, eat, eat, all the time. I 
never knew before that mocking birds were so greedy — 
and then they bite me so !" 
I smiled benignantly, as became a youthful Cuvier, and 
holding out to her the new one, said, patronizingly — 
" Look here ! He could not escape me ; although this 
new variety have the cunning of wizzards ! Never mind the 
appetite, Sis — we shall be the more certain to raise them, 
and their magnificent song shall repay us for a little addi- 
tional trouble !" 
But Sis was not so easily comforted, for she said, as she 
showed me some ugly marks where they had been biting her 
little fingers severely — • 
"Well, brother, I hope you will not find any more of 
your new variety, for I expect to have my fingers eaten off 
by these that ^ you have. They are not content with snatch- 
