The tawny eagle seats his callow brood High on the cliff, and feasts his young with blood: MRS, BARBAULDI CHAP. CHAP V. Torva leæna lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam; Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva capella. VIRGIL. ECL. II. The hungry lioness the wolf devours; The wolf the kid; the kid the shrubs and flow'rs. MANY birds had now assembled on the same spot with the Canary-Bird and yellow-hammer, all in pursuit of their evening fare. Among the rest, was a swallow, clinging to a ledge on the wall of a neighbouring cottage. Other swallows were skimming 3 skimming about, in every direction. A hawk who, like the rest, was in search of his supper, darted suddenly upon one of these, and carried off his prize. All the birds were in the utmost consternation; but as the circumstance happened at some little distance, and as the hawk left the place almost as soon as he came, only a very few fled away. Our birds, and the swallow that I have mentioned, with many others, remained. 66 Monster", cried the swallow! "that such a wretch should live!-Eat swallows!-I shudder at the very thought! 40 THE CANARY BIRD. One would have imagined that the sight of so much beauty might have melted his hard heart-his crimson throat, his snowy breast, and back of deep splendid blue. Well, thank my stars, I shall never eat a swallow!-No- nor any other bird -he must have the palate of a very cannibal to relish such a feast!-independently of the cruelty of the deed. I should nauseate the dish.-" At this moment, one of the scarabei, or beetle kind, flew along after it darted the swallow; and the terrified insect, dashing itself. in hasty flight, against a tree, fell, and seemed incapable of attempting to avoid the danger with which its life was threatened. Its outer wings were of a brilliant verdigriscolour; and on each of these were sprinkled drops of gold; his head was coloured as his wings; his body covered with a shining corslet of grass-green; his legs seemed cased in foil of crimson-gold. The swallow, not at all seduced from his purpose by the sight of so much beauty, was about to swallow his prey-the fine colours of the insect no more inclined him to leave it, than the redness of an E 3 apple, |