i6o 
NATURE NOTES. 
children’s library or for a prize given by those admirable institutions, the Bands of 
Mercy. There is one reason for which this work will be much more acceptable to 
young people than many similar ones. Although it is written in a spirit of deep 
religious feeling, there is none of that obtrusive sermonic element which makes 
many children’s books so very distasteful to those for whom they are intended. 
“Why, it’s only a big ‘ track,’ with a lot of pictures shoved in ! ” said an unappre- 
ciative boy lately of an illustrated book on Natural History in which the narrative 
element was very distinctly subordinated to the didactic. “ I wish people wouldn’t 
tell you the good things you ought to think when you see anything pretty,” said a 
little girl surfeited with perpetual drawing of morals, “ it would be ever so much 
nicer to think things yourself.” We have much sympathy with these juvenile 
critics, and we can assure them that they will find in Wild Nature Won by Kind- 
ness a real book of charming (though true) stories, with plenty of fun here and there. 
Almost every chapter has some humorous incident in it. The story of the Ameri- 
can lady who boasted that “ her tame oysters followed her up and downstairs” is 
delicious ; so also the account of how Rab Minor buried the hymn-book in the 
garden, whereupon the cook remarked that he had more religion in him than half 
the Christians — though indeed, as our authoress adds, “ that reasoning was not 
apparent to anyone but herself.” But the funniest story is of the irreverent non- 
Sabbatarian bees, who swarmed on Sunday evening, and then sought to make 
amends for their offence by accompanying their owner to church, where she sat in 
mute agony lest they might commit a violent assault upon the minister and con- 
gregation. 
There are three chapters in the book— “Taming of Our Pets,” “Feeding 
Birds in Summer and Winter,” and “ How to Observe Nature ” — which we would 
gladly see reprinted as separate pamphlets and distributed by the Selborne 
Society. They are full of practical wisdom, and would prevent much thought- 
less cruelty. But indeed the whole book is one which cannot but make both 
young and old have more love for all God's creatures, who are all (what is so often 
forgotten) their own fellow creatures, and think with more wonder and reverence 
of Him “who made all these.” 
BIRDS AND BONNETS: A LADIES’ SYMPOSIUM. 
In response to the invitation given in last month’s Nature Notes, we have 
received several letters from lady contributors on this subject, which is of peculiar 
importance just at this season of the year, when ladies have not yet selected their 
winter bonnets. We append extracts from this correspondence in the order in 
which they have been received. 
“Joan of Arc” says: — “Your correspondent, Susan P. Hawes’ question— 
‘ If we do not wear feathers in winter, what are we to wear instead ? ’ irresistibly 
reminds me of a question once asked me by a young officer, whose regiment was 
then leaving the country town in which we lived — ‘ What will the M- — people do 
when the — th have gone away ? ’ I considered for a moment, and then replied 
innocently enough, ‘ I suppose they will have to do as they did before the — th 
came here.’ I had no intention of laughing at him, though the hearers gave me 
credit for doing so, I am afraid. 
“ Now I suppose that twenty years ago ladies were able to manage without 
birds in their hats, for I do not think the (to me) ugly fashion had begun then. 
Surely with all the variety of leaves, berries, and flowers — the making of which 
gives employment to so many poor women and girls — to say nothing of velvet and 
ribbons — which wear very' well — we could again contrive to get through our 
winters without this profusion of birds — I counted seven in one hat in a shop 
window the other day. 
“ As to the other part of the subject, as to what feathers are allowable, surely it 
would not take us long to learn which birds are used for food, and if we prefer 
