observing, and in this way the stock of their ideas is continually
increasing. I once heard a gentleman say he did not like to go
through the world with his head in a bag. He wished to see what was
taking place around him, and it was this seeing, and thinking upon
what he saw, that, among other things, made him a distinguished man.

The young birds are now seeing and thinking, as well as birds can.
Their time for action has not come. Like dear children in their happy
homes, they are preparing for the responsibilities of life; and, if
they honour and obey their parents, as far as birds are expected to
do, and as all children should, I doubt not they will faithfully
perform the duties which will hereafter devolve upon them.

From observations I have made, I conclude the robins neither send
their children to school nor employ a governess for them. They have so
made their arrangements that either one or the other has time to
attend to their education. Sometimes the father, and at other times
the mother, assumes the labour of teaching, and their dearly-loved
pupils are quite as attentive to their instructions as any children I
have ever seen.




CHAPTER VI.

GOING ABROAD.


It was on a bright, warm, breezy morning in early June, that our