OUR ROBINS. 37

times the father bird would bring food in his bill, and the
mother would receive it and give it to her young. She
seemed to think, like a good, energetic mother, that she
ought not to sit idle and let her husband do all the pro-
viding, and she would go forth and bring food for the
young ones; and then a pretty sight it was to see them
stretch up their little necks to receive it.
 Our eyes were one day fixed on the little family. Both
parents were perched on the tree. Two young men from
the village, who haa been out sporting, were passing
along the road. "I'll bet you a crown, Tom," said one of
them, "I'll put a shot into that robin's head." "Done !"
said the other; and done it was for our poor little mother.
Bang went the gun, and down to the ground, gasping and
dying, fell the bird. My poor friend shut her eyes and
groaned; the children burst out into cries and lamenta-
tions; and, I must confess, I shed some tears-I could
not help it. We ran out and picked up the dead bird,
and lamented over it. The young man stopped, and said
he was very sorry; that if he had known we cared about
the bird he would not have shot it; he did not want it;
he only shot to try his skill. I asked him if he could not
as well have tried his skill by shooting at a mark. "Cer-
tainly !" he answered, and laughed, and walked on. Now
I do not think this young man was a monster, or any
such thing, but I do think that, if he had known as much
of the habits and history of birds as Lyman did, he would
not have shot this robin at the season when it is known
they are employed in rearing their young, and are enjoy-
ing a happiness so like what human beings feel; nor, if
he had looked upon a bird as a member of God's great
family, would he have shot it, at any season, just to show
his skill in hitting a mark. We have no right to abate in-
nocent enjoyment nor inflict unnecessary and useless pain.
 The father bird, in his first fright, darted away, but he
soon returned and flew round and round the tree, uttering
cries which we understood as if they had been words; and
then he would flutter over the nest, and the little mother-
less birds stretched up their necks and answered with