L 2 ] 
First, as regards Justice. When a bird is charged 
with doing harm, we men are not only the witnesses 
for the prosecution, but the counsel, the juries, the 
judges, and the executioners as well. Bird ” has 
two legs like ourselves, hut no tongue to speak with 
in his own defence. lie has, let us say, been caught 
in flagrante delicto , stealing eggs or robbing the 
garden or farm, or even taking the voung of the 
domestic fowl or game-bird; and the case is ap¬ 
parently proved up to the hilt. But when a prisoner 
is undefended it behoves the judge to watch the case 
on his behalf. If it so happens that he can elicit 
from the witnesses that “ Bird ” has some right to 
help himself to a certain allowance of cherries or 
grain, or that the eggs or young chicks were left so 
unguarded as to become more or less the common 
property of all those gaining free access to them (as 
if thrown away), then it will be his duty to direct the 
j ury to find the case not proven. 
It not unfrequently happens that the whole charge 
may be founded on mistaken identity. “ Bird’s ” 
family is a large one, and some members of it are so 
much alike that it is difficult to distinguish one from 
another. Again, as is the case in most large families, 
however well behaved, there are often evilly-disposed 
individuals among them, and the entire family must 
not be blamed for the crimes of one of its members. 
It is the judge’s business to elucidate doubtful points, 
and so to sum up the case as to ensure that justice 
shall be done. 
Clearly, then, no person is fitted to pronounce 
judgment who is not well informed on the subject 
and has not an impartial mind, and does not take 
