Part 9 (2/2)
”But it isn't so pretty as lass stopper of a sauce bottle
”Or ht piece of tin fros just above the entrance of the bower
”Nonsense, children!” said a grave old Satin Bird, ”your trifles are not to be coed along the top of the bower The effect is splendid!”
As he spoke, Dot observed that, twined as of the construction was a strip of red flannel fro thatby its singed edges
The day Dot had lost her way she had been threading beads, and she still had upon her finger a ring of the pretty coloured pieces of glass She saw the old Satin Bird look at this ring longingly, so she pulled it off, and begged that it iven the place of honour--over the entrance and above the piece of ift from Dot caused an immediate flow of conversation, because every bird was pleased to have soan to say how beautiful the beads were ”Quite too lovely!” said one ”What a char little Human!” exclaimed another ”Just the finish that our bower required,” was a general re, ”So tasteful!” ”So sweet!” ”How elegant!” ”Exquisite!” ”It's a love!”
”It's a dear!” and so on A great dealthat all the adjectives were getting used up, told the frogs and crickets to start the , and all further observations were drowned in the noise
Presently the younger birds flen to the bower, and began to play and dance Like a troop of children, they ran round and round the bower, and to and fro through it, gleefully chasing each other Then they would asseroups, and hop up and down, and dance to one another in what Dot thought a rather aard fashi+on; but she was thinking of the elegance and grace of the Native Cos and necks, whilst these little bower birds are rather ungainly in their steps
What a cock birds showed off to the little hens They were conceited fellows, and only see adly at their every reat delight; and the little hens, in a circle round them, watched their hops and steps with absorbed interest I dancer would fluff out his feathers, so as to look as big as possible, and after strutting about, would suddenly shoot out a leg and a wing, first on one side and then on the other, then spring high into the air, and do a sort of step dance when his feet touched the earth again Endless were the tricks he resorted to, to show off his feathers and dancing to the best advantage; and the little hens watched it all with silent intentness
In the s and crickets stopped to rest, and Dot could hear the conversation of some of the old birds perched near her A little party of elderly hens were discussing the young birds ere dancing at the bower
”Iso popular a birds,” said one elderly hen; and all her cohtly, and nodded their heads in various ways One said it was ”rough,” another that it was ”ungainly,” and others that it was ”unmannerly”
”As for manners,” said the first speaker, ”the bower birds of this day can't be said to have any!” and all her companions chorused, ”No, indeed!”
[Illustration: THE BOWER BIRDS]
”In roup were sighing, ”Ah! in our young days!” when a young hen perched on a bough above theood birds find anythingto talk about than ancient history?” At this the groups of gossips whispered angrily to one another ”Minx!” ”Hussy!”
”Wild Cat!” etc, and the rude young bird flew back to her co birds,” said another elderly hen, ”is their appearance So all day but preen their feathers Look at the over-studied arrangehts, and the affected exactness of their tail feathers! One looks in vain for sweetness and si bower birds”
”Even that is better than the newer fashi+on of scarcely preening the feathers at all,” observed yet another of the group ”Many of the young birds take no pride in their feathers whatever, but devote all their ti the habits of out-of-the-way insects” A chorus of disapproval from all present supported this re hen's appearance should not be per all about insects, e live on berries and fruit?” asked another
”The sight of insects gives one the creeps!” said a third
”I a beyond playing at the Bower and preening their feathers,” said an affectionate bower bird et a deal of attention paid to the Satin Bird would look at a learned little bower-hen,” said the bird who had first objected to untidy and studious young hens ”For my part, I never allow a chick of mine even to mention insects, unless they are well-known beetles!”
Dot thought this chattering very stupid, so she went round a bush to where the old fathers of the bower birds were perched They were grave old fellows, arrayed in their satin blue-black plu humour
”Birds at our time of life should not have to attend parties,” said several, and Dot wondered why they cahbour?”
said one to another ”Terribly bored!” was the reply ”How long must we stay, do you think?” asked another ”Oh! until these young fools have finished a themselves,” answered its friend The only satin birds who seeed in discussing the scarcity of berries and the wrongs done to bower birds by White Hurievance, and the question as to what berries or figs agreed best with each old bower bird's digestion, were the only topics discussed with any ani to the birds, and returned to the Kangaroo, who asked her if she cared to stay any longer The little girl said she had seen and heard enough, and, judging by this one, she didn't care for parties
”Neither do I,” whispered the Kangaroo; ”they make me feel tired; and, so one knows that's sad, in spite of all the gaiety”