OUR BIRDS IN WINTER, 
99 
a feather until next summer.” Here the party 
exchanged flutterings of sympathy and con- 
dolement with each other. 
She did not die a natural death,” answered 
Woodcock, sorrowfully, although I don’t 
know but that shooting is a natural one to us 
poor devils of game birds. She fell a victim 
to man’s cruel rapacity, and wicked appetites, 
and it was by the merest chance that I escaped 
with a whole skin.” 
Poor thing,” said several of his listeners, 
how much you have had to suffer.” 
We sympathize with you fully,” said 
Chick, and wish we could comfort you.” 
And have your children all left you ? ” 
inquired another. I should think that they 
might keep you company in your wretched- 
ness.” 
Alas, they too are dead,” answered Wood- 
cock. I am alone. You all know how happy 
a family we were, when we left here last Octo- 
ber, how much we were attached to each other, 
how kindly we shared the margins of pools 
and mud-holes in swamps with each other. 
