AND THEIR NEIGHBORS. 
207 
punish their enemy. Having finished his 
description, he continued his remarks as fol- 
lows : — 
“ Well, my friends, what these birds were 
created for, nobody could for a long time ifn- 
agine. Most people supposed that they were 
intended for nothing but a burlesque on the 
whole race ; but as the world grew more wicked, 
and real life was better understood, it was finally 
determined that these ^ odds and ends,’ as they 
were called in many localities, were made as 
a sort of warning to all other birds, — a sort 
of animated mirror in which all the lowest and 
meanest qualities of the class were reflected. 
Now, this pair of ^ odds and ends ’ were mean 
enough, in all conscience, from the beginning; 
but their detestable qualities have steadily 
increased in intensity, and the pair that has 
taken up its residence not a thousand miles 
from us represents the species in the most 
exaggerated form.” 
Here Bob flew down to the brook to get a 
drink, or wet his whistle,” as he jocosely 
remarked, and while he was so doing, most of 
