QUIRREL. 
i^E^HREE springs ago I founB a little fledgling missel- 
jfgMjl! thrush which had fallen from its nest, squatting un- 
I abashed on a green bank ; it opened its mouth and 
called aloud for food. Seeing no protection or help for 
it near, I took it into the house and supplied its needs, which 
were large. Then, fearing I might prove an inefficient foster- 
mother, I swung it up in a basket half-way up a tree near its 
supposed home, and stood a little distance — concealed I hoped by 
foliage — to watch. But]though the parent birds screamed excitedly 
overhead they feared apparently to approach, and I had at length 
myself to act the part of parent. Never had parent a more 
exacting offspring. At 3 or 3.30 I was aroused to attend to it, 
and it required unremitting attention all through the day. 
Happily it was a rapidly dev’eloping bird and soon assumed its 
own responsibilities — not, however, before it had learned prettily 
to recognize my approach by fluttering wings and a soft “quirrel” 
of welcome. 
One day I found its house empty — it had cleverly discovered 
a small loophole of escape. Though it could fly and feed itself, 
it was, I knew, impossible for it to forage for itself, and its 
chance of life was small indeed. I felt quite hopeless of recovering 
it, not knowing how many hours it might have been free, for I 
had left it an unwonted time that day. I thought it just worth 
while to venture a call, but I felt excessively foolish when I heard 
my own voice, and ardently hoped no one but the bird would 
hear as I made a feeble imitation of its note of welcome, the 
call I had half unconsciously been accustomed to use when feed- 
ing it as a baby. Almost immediately came an answering 
“ quirr-r-rel ” from somewhere above, and looking up I descried 
my young friend on a spreading branch some twenty or thirty 
feet from the ground, looking very well placed indeed. I called 
louder and more encouragingly, and a little buff ball of fluff 
fluttered down at my feet, allowing itself to be recaptured with 
more apparent content than regret. Twice later during my 
absence from home it in some way got free, but on both occasions 
allowed itself to be readily caught in one of the outsheds. It 
seemed to linger round the shelter of dwellings. 
The following year it so happened that another fledgling 
missel fell in the same manner into our hands, was reared and in 
due time placed in the large outdoor cage with the other bird. 
When the breeding season came there was great excitement in 
the bird-house, very urgent were the appeals for help, there was 
no mistaking their wish to make their needs known. A large 
bough was put up and an old disused nest fixed upon it, and the 
rejoicing was great, but after the first burst of delight they 
discovered matters were still not quite as they should be. 
Quirrel soon made me acquainted with the fact by her restless 
