34 
NATURE NOTES. 
The next spring, and ever afterwards, when the hen was 
sitting, Billy would take up his residence in an empty nest next 
door to hers, and there he would sit in the dark until she was at 
liberty to walk about with him. Now I must tell you that there 
were plenty of eligible young lady ducks of his own kind about, 
but he was never known to go down to the water, with its en- 
ticing reedy banks, hovering dragon flies, and darting tadpoles, 
and where every season brought a fresh supply of dainty morsels 
to tempt ducks’ appetites. All his life he never associated with 
the ducks, nor would he even look at one fair white maiden 
who was bold enough to make great advances to him. No, 
Billy would have nothing to say to her ; so no doubt she went off 
in a pique, made eyes at and conquered one more susceptible to 
her charms than Billy, who was left to follow his own queer 
little ways with his hen. 
They went on living in this way for about ten years, when 
at last a sad day dawned for Billy, for his dear hen died of 
“ advanced age.” After that poor Billy evidently lost all 
interest in life, and all his spirit deserted him, and there is no 
doubt the ladies and gentlemen of the yard, seeing him unpro- 
tected and despondent, thought the time had come to pay him 
out for the many pecks their yellow “ stockings ” had received 
from him in times past. Anyway, after a time he was found to 
have one eye sadly injured and quite sightless — the result of a 
peck — and the other eye becoming affected, he was with sad 
necessity hurried off to the happy hunting-grounds of duckland — 
although I am sure if he had had his choice he would have 
preferred henland — and his owner, in much grief, buried him 
under the tree he had passed so many happy days in his youth. 
M. L. Goodacre. 
BIRDCRAFT.' 
This book has been written for those inhabitants of the Middle and Eastern 
States of the so-called United States of America, who answer in the afiirmative 
the question which is the opening sentence to the reader, “ Do you want to 
know the birds and call them by their familiar names?” Four introductory 
chapters, on the “ The Sjiring Song,” “ The Iluilding of the Nest,” “ The Water 
birds,” and “ birds of Autumn and Winter,” are followed by some hints how to 
name the birds. And it is to be remarked that the book is an attempt to help the 
disciples of the craft to do this in such a w.ay that in the end they shall be able to 
answer again in the affirmative another (juestion, viz., “ Hast thou named all the 
birds without a gun ? ” The body of the work consists of a synopsis of bird 
families and biographies of the two hundred species of birds treated of. The 
latter are given in a systematic form, though they are not in all cases (juitc uniform, 
* Birdcraft. A Field book of Two Hundred Song, Game and Water birds, 
by Mabel O.sgood W'right ; page plates containing 128 birds in the natural colours, 
and other illu.strations (to coloured and 5 plain plates), pp. xvi., 317, 8vo. New 
York and London: Macmillan & Co., 1895. bfice 12s. 6d. net. 
