mastiff which always accompanied him, said to the animal, in a kind of
absence of mind, "Here, my poor old friend; you see how these haughty
tyrants indulge themselves, and yet how we are treated!" The poor dog
looked his master in the face, and gave tokens that he understood him. The
master walked on, but the mastiff slackened his pace, and laying hold of
the damask cloth with his teeth, at one hearty pull brought all the glass
on the sideboard in shivers to the ground, thus depriving the insolent
noble of his favourite exhibition of splendour.

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE XLIX.

A Tame Colony.

A well-known traveller, in a description of the Island of Tristan
d'Acunha, states that the animals found on this solitary spot were so
tame, that it was necessary to clear a path through the birds which were
reposing on the rocks, by kicking them aside. One species of seal did not
move at all when struck or pelted, and at length some of the company
amused themselves by mounting them, and riding them into the sea!

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE L.

An Usurper Punished.

Some years ago a sparrow had early in spring taken possession of an old
swallow's nest, and had laid some eggs in it, when the original builder
and owner of the castle made her appearance, and claimed possession. The
sparrow, firmly seated, resisted the claim of the swallow; a smart battle
ensued, in which the swallow was joined by its mate, and during the
conflict by several of their comrades. All the efforts of the assembled
swallows to dislodge the usurper were, however, unsuccessful. Finding
themselves completely foiled in this object, it would seem that they had
held a council of war to consult on ulterior measures; and the resolution
they came to shows that with no ordinary degree of ingenuity some very
lofty considerations of right and justice were combined in their
deliberations. Since the sparrow could not be dispossessed of the nest,
the next question with them appears to have been, how he could be
otherwise punished for his unlawful occupation of a property
unquestionably belonging to its original constructor. The council were
unanimous in thinking that nothing short of the death of the intruder
could atone for so heinous an offence; and having so decided, they
proceeded to put their sentence into execution in the following very
extraordinary manner. Quitting the scene of the contest for a time, they
returned with accumulated numbe