Page:Amusing stories of animals.pdf/16

  which was resented by a fierce and rather laughable onset. The bill of the bird was darted at the hard head of the enemy, and the latter, though furnished with a notable pair of horns, started back as quickly as if an adder had stung him. Again, however, he advanced to the charge, was again assaulted and again retreated; until his brethren, perceiving what was going forward, joined in the melee, and very nearly hemmed the gander in. Our first impression was that the biped would be tossed and gored till not a pinion stuck together; but in this we were mistaken. Each of the bullocks was assailed in turn, to its no small amazement, if no dismay, but the assailant, maugre his great courage, appeared to be placed in a sad quandary and did all he could to rescue the colt from such unsuitable company, by biting his heels and nibbling at his head. The docile animal at length good naturedly yielded to his wishes, and the horned beligerents, on their part, ratified the armistice by offering no farther molestation.

years ago a swarm of bees which had escaped from the parent hive, were observed clustering about Heddam Church; and before measures could be taken to secure them, they disappeared. Their queen, it seems, had been pioneering to find a suitable place of location