60 
THE BROWN THRUSHES: 
when the kidnapping, as it is called, was done, 
the weather was vpry dark and lowering long 
before the storm commenced ; anticipating a 
tempest, I was abroad early in the day, and, 
when the rain began to fall I had secured suffi- 
cient food for my family and myself to last until 
fair weather came again. As I was flying home, 
my mouth filled with insects, just as I passed 
the home of the Robins, there came a furious 
blast which nearly forced me into 'the trees ; 
as I was recovering myself I chanced to look 
in tlie direction of the Robins, when I saw the 
young one fall to the ground from the tipped- 
up nest. If I had not been loaded as I was, I 
should have stopped and given the little one 
some assistance, but, supposing that it would 
soon be found by its parents, I flew on to my 
own family. Just then it began to rain, and 
feeling that harm might come to it, as soon as 
I could, I returned ; when, just as I arrived in 
sight of the nest, who should come along, but 
Farmer Wilkins’ son, who, seeing the young 
Robin on the wet ground, picked it up, and, 
supposing that it belonged in the Thrushes’ 
