104 
BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES* 
his mate in an ecstasy of chirping, and looking round 
him, discovers an oval egg, with a very white ground, 
variegated with ash and brown spots and streaks. Before 
he goes to roost, the cackling begins again, and as he 
comes in with a caterpillar for snpper, she shows him 
another, and so on, till there are five or six. Then is he 
a husband in earnest. No intruding sparrow dare take 
shelter near his nest; no cat even warm it with her feline 
breath. He is all wings and claw 7 s, and his beak is a 
dagger to transfix every enemy to his domestic peace* 
He is an example of perpetual motion, too, and hurries 
here and there for dainty bits of meat which the cook 
has thrown out, fat snails, hirsute caterpillars, pickings 
from the pig-trough, and bread-crumbs, carrying them 
into the nest for his faithful partner, who receives each 
with a low chuckle of satisfaction. Not food alone, but 
every stray feather, wisp of w ool, or bunch of cotton- 
thread is carried up also to increase the w r armth of the 
nest, and preserve the eggs from chill, while both the 
parents are away in the morning and evening. He not 
only knows no fatigue in his unceasing search for food, 
but he takes his turn at sitting while she airs herself at 
daybreak, and the moment she returns he darts off again 
in search of feathers, grubs, and bread-crumbs. He is 
the model husband now, and has given up fighting and 
quarrelling. By-and-by there are weak voices crying for 
food, and a number of naked children stare him in the 
face, all crying in one dismal tone, as they squat in a 
confused heap with their wide yellow gaping mouths, for 
continued supplies. He is astonished at the voracity of 
his own children; they would eat up mother and father 
