Chapter I: Preface

"THE BIRD AND INSECTS' POST-OFFICE" was projected and written by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD, author of the "Farmer's Boy," &c., excepting Letters VIII., X., XI., and XVI. by his eldest son, Charles. It was the author's intention to publish it uniformly with his other juvenile work, the "HISTORY OF LITTLE DAVY'S NEW HAT," but he did not live to do so, and it was therefore included in his literary _Remains_, published in 1824--a year after the poet's death--in two volumes, price twelve shillings. Its circulation, in consequence, has been extremely limited, its form of publication preventing its introduction to children; for this reason, and because I think it would be a pity for it to be shut up for ever in a dusty old volume from the little ones, for whom it was written, I have sent it forth in the form originally intended for it to assume.

The original manuscript, in the author's autograph, I recently presented to the Trustees of the British Museum.

WALTER BLOOMFIELD.

_March 1st, 1879._

CONTENTS.

LETTER PAGE

I.--FROM THE MAGPIE TO THE SPARROW 19

II.--THE SPARROW'S REPLY 22

III.--FROM A YOUNG GARDEN-SPIDER TO HER MOTHER 29

IV.--FROM A YOUNG NIGHTINGALE TO A WREN 33

V.--FROM AN EARWIG, DEPLORING THE LOSS OF ALL HER CHILDREN 39

VI.--FROM THE WILD DUCK TO THE TAME DUCK 42

VII.--THE TAME DUCK'S REPLY 47

VIII.--FROM THE GANDER TO THE TURKEY-COCK. _By Charles Bloomfield_ 53

IX.--FROM THE DUNGHILL-COCK TO THE CHAFFINCH 58

X.--FROM THE BLUE-BOTTLE FLY TO THE GRASSHOPPER
_By Charles Bloomfield_ 63

XI.--FROM THE GLOW-WORM TO THE BUMBLE-BEE. _By Charles Bloomfield_ 66

XII.--FROM THE PIGEON TO THE PARTRIDGE 71

XIII.--FROM THE WOOD-PIGEON TO THE OWL 78

XIV.--THE OWL IN REPLY TO THE WOOD-PIGEON 85

XV.--FROM A SWALLOW IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE TO AN ENGLISH ROBIN 88

XVI.--ON HEARING THE CUCKOO AT MIDNIGHT, MAY 1ST. 1822.
_By Charles Bloomfield_ 95

LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
THE BIRD AND INSECTS' POST-OFFICE _Frontispiece._

MAGPIE 18

SPARROWS 23

SPIDERS 28

NIGHTINGALE 32

WRENS 35

WILD DUCKS 43

SPARROWS 49

GOOSE 55

COCK 59

PARTRIDGES 70, 74

PIGEONS 72, 76

OWLS 79, 83

SWALLOWS 89, 92

AND SEVERAL SMALLER ONES IN THE TEXT.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

We all know that AEsop has made his birds and beasts talk, and reason too; and that so well as still to make the volume bearing his name a favourite with thousands. Perhaps, too, we all know that same French author has objected to this method of teaching, alleging that children should not be imposed upon (or something to that effect), and led to believe in the _reality_ of talking birds and beasts. To me it appears plainly that they do not, nor are they inclined to, believe in any such reality. Observe two or three children at play with a favourite kitten. When one of them, in mere wantonness, shall give the little animal a rap on the nose, or a squeeze by the tail, the owner of the cat will instantly exclaim, "Poor little pussy! she does not like that, _she says_." Now, the child knows very well that the cat did not say a word about the matter, but she looked and acted as if she had, and that was enough.

In the following pages I have endeavoured to make my winged and creeping correspondents talk in their own characters, according to their well-known habits and pursuits.

I have added a few notes, sometimes of illustration, and sometimes of inquiry; for, as natural history is almost a boundless field, I may stand in need of correction myself. It will be obvious that I have taken only some of the plainest and simplest subjects, for the purpose of trying whether any interest can be awakened in young minds by such means. And as I like to write for children, and think a great deal of information might be blended with amusement in this way, I hold myself acquitted of the charge of trifling and puerility, and am the young reader's friend and well-wisher,

R[OBERT] B[LOOMFIELD.]

THE BIRD AND INSECT'S POST-OFFICE.