THE BIRD AND INSECTS' POST-OFFICE.

Frontispiece.

THE BIRD AND INSECTS' POST-OFFICE.

THE BIRD AND INSECTS'
 
POST-OFFICE.

BY

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD,

Author of "The Farmer's Boy," "Rural Tales", &c. &c.

WITH THIRTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK:
E. P. DUTTON AND CO.
GRIFFITH AND FARRAN: ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON.

[The Rights of Translation and Reproduction are Reserved.]

PREFACE.

"The Bird and Insects' Post-Office" was projected and written by RobertBloomfield, author of the "Farmer's Boy," &c., excepting Letters VIII.,X., XI., and XVI. by his eldest son, Charles. It was the author'sintention 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 itwas therefore included in his literary Remains, published in 1824—ayear after the poet's death—in two volumes, price twelve shillings. Itscirculation, in consequence, has been extremely limited, its form ofpublication 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 ina dusty old volume from the little ones, for whom it was written, Ihave sent it forth in the form originally intended for it to assume.

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

WALTER BLOOMFIELD.

March 1st, 1879.

CONTENTS.