d-tempered animals as he believed them to be.
It was very tiresome, to be sure, but she _would_ keep on relating
all the foolish old tales she had ever heard about their killing other
animals, and even their own children. We all know how disagreeable it
is when we have been taking a great deal of trouble to persuade other
people to think like ourselves on any subject, to find at last, after
half-an-hour's talking, that they are just as much attached to their
own opinions as ever. Now our squirrel was really a very good-tempered
fellow in general, but I must confess that he was rather cross on this
occasion; and though he did not say much about it, he showed that he
was "a little out of sorts," as people say, by curling himself up for
the night fully half an hour before his usual time of going to sleep.

But the next morning he awoke in a very good-humoured mood indeed, and
worked hard all day with his companion, to complete the nest. He seemed
to have forgotten the subject of their dispute, till towards evening,
when, as he was sitting alone on a branch of the oak, on the side
nearest the pond, a _bat_ suddenly fluttered by, skimming with zigzag
flight over the still water.

"There goes old Leatherwing, I declare!" exclaimed Brush: "the very
person I was wishing to see! I'll call out to him to stop the next time
he passes, and ask him to set me right about those water-rats. He is a
very learned old fellow, and I believe knows something about every
animal in the woods. To be sure, old Leatherwing is often rather
tiresome and prosy, and he _will_ talk a great deal about his own
affairs; but then he is a very clever old gentleman for all that, and
has seen a great deal of the world."

For some time Leatherwing continued flying backwards and forwards, over
the upper end of the pond, and seemed determined not to approach the
oak-tree. The truth is, that his game, which consisted of gnats and
other small insects, was abundant just at that spot, and a very hearty
supper he made that evening. I suppose he found the legs and wings of
these insects rather dry food, for sometimes, as he skimmed over the
water, he would dip in like a swallow, and drink a few drops as he
passed, in order to wash them down.

While he is eating his supper, I intend to give you a short, and I hope
not a very uninteresting description of his curious wings. As for his
habits and manner of passing his time, I dare say that he will take
care to say som