Wild Nature Won By Kindness

✊
Nature Won By Kindness, by Elizabeth Brightwen

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Title: Wild Nature Won By Kindness
Author: Elizabeth Brightwen
Illustrator: Elizabeth Brightwen
Release Date: April 16, 2007 [EBook #21111]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Wild Nature
Won by Kindness

WILD NATURE WON BY KINDNESS.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
MORE ABOUT WILD NATURE. With Portrait of the Author and many other full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, imitation leather gilt, gilt edges, in box, 5s.
INMATES OF MY HOUSE AND GARDEN. With 32 Illustrations by Theo Carreras. Uniform with above, 5s.
ALSO GLIMPSES INTO PLANT LIFE. Fully Illustrated. Crown 8vo, cloth gilt, 3s. 6d.

WILD NATURE WON BY KINDNESS
BY MRS. BRIGHTWEN
Vice-President of the Selborne Society AUTHOR OF "INMATES OF MY HOUSE AND GARDEN," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
EIGHTH EDITION
London T. FISHER UNWIN PATERNOSTER SQUARE 1898
All rights reserved.

To
SIR JAMES PAGET, BART., F.R.S., D.C.L., ETC., ETC.
MY DEAR SIR JAMES,--
The little papers which are here reprinted would scarcely have been written but for the encouragement of your sympathy and the stimulus of what you have contributed to the loving study of nature. Shall you, then, think me presumptuous if I venture to dedicate to the friend what I could never dream of presenting to the professor, and if I ask you to pardon the poorness of the gift in consideration of the sincerity with which it is given.
Pray believe me to be Yours very sincerely, ELIZA BRIGHTWEN
THE GROVE, GREAT STANMORE. June, 1800.

[Illustration]
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION. 1. REARING BIRDS FROM THE NEST 2. DICK THE STARLING 3. RICHARD THE SECOND 4. VERDANT 5. THE WILD DUCKS 6. THE JAY 7. A YOUNG CUCKOO 8. TAMING OF OUR PETS 9. BIRDIE 10. Z?E THE NUTHATCH 11. TITMICE 12. BLANCHE THE PIGEON 13. GERBILLES 14. WATER SHREWS 15. SQUIRRELS 16. A MOLE 17. HARVEST MICE 18. A CALIFORNIAN MOUSE 19. SANCHO THE TOAD 20. ROMAN SNAILS 21. AN EARWIG MOTHER 22. THE SACRED BEETLE 23. SPIDERS 24. TAME BUTTERFLIES 25. ANT-LIONS 26. ROBINS I HAVE KNOWN 27. ROBERT THE SECOND 28. FEEDING BIRDS IN SUMMER AND WINTER 29. RAB, MINOR 30. A VISIT TO JAMRACH 31. HOW TO OBSERVE NATURE

[Illustration]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FLYING WILD DUCK SACRED BEETLE SWALLOW REARING BIRDS FROM THE NEST STARLINGS FLYING STARLINGS STARLING IN SEARCH OF FOOD WILD DUCK TINY, SIR FRANCIS DRAKE AND LUTHER JAY ANOTHER JAY A YOUNG CUCKOO BUTTERFLY AND CATERPILLAR YOUNG CUCKOO ATTACKED BY BIRDS ARABESQUE Z?E, THE NUTHATCH NUTHATCH IN A COCOANUT TITMICE IN PURSUIT OF BEES TITMICE BLANCHE THE PIGEON GERBILLES WATER SHREW SQUIRREL MOLE MICE ROMAN SNAILS EARWIG EGYPTIAN BEETLES FLYING BEETLE TRAP-DOOR SPIDERS BUTTERFLY ANT-LION THE ROBIN YOUNG BIRDS CHILD AND PET BIRD RAB MINOR RAB MINOR RUNNING NESTLINGS NEST OF WASPS SNAKE IN CIRCLE

PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION.
Two short chapters, one describing the life of an Ant-lion, and the other the habits of a tame Toad, were added to the second edition, which was in other respects a reproduction of the first.
The present edition has been improved by the adoption of a number of illustrations which were designed for the German translation of this book.

[Illustration]

INTRODUCTION.
I have often wished I could convey to others a little of the happiness I have enjoyed all through my life in the study of Natural History. During twenty years of variable health, the companionship of the animal world has been my constant solace and delight. To keep my own memory fresh, in the first instance, and afterwards with a distinct intention of repeating my single experiences to others, I have kept notes of whatever has seemed to me worthy of record in the life of my pets. Some of these papers have already appeared in The Animal World; the majority are now printed for the first time.
In the following chapters I shall try to have quiet talks with my readers and tell them in a simple way about the many pleasant friendships I have had with animals, birds, and insects. I use the word friendships advisedly, because truly to know and enjoy the society of a pet creature you must make it feel that you are, or wish to be, its friend, one to whom it can always look for food, shelter, and solace; it must be at ease and at home with you before its instincts and curious ways will be shown. Sometimes when friends have wished me to see their so-called "pet," some scared animal or poor fluttering bird has been brought, for whom my deepest sympathy has been excited; and yet there may have