Year: 1873

his pursuer sat on the fence or the pea
brush waiting for him to reappear.


Days passud, and the usurpers prosper
ed and the outcasts were wretched but
the latter fingered about, watching and
abusing their enemies, and hoping, no
doubt, that things would take turn, as
they presently did. The outraged wrens
were fully avenged. The mother blue
bird had lain her full complement of eggs
and was beginning to set, when one day,
as her mate was perched above her on the
barn, along came boy with one of those
wicked elastic slings and cut him down
with pebble. There he lay like bit Of
sky fallen upon the grass. The widowed
bird seemed to understand what had hap
pened. and without much ado disappeared
next day in quest of another mate. How
she contrived to make her wants known
without trumpeting them about l am una
BILE to say. But l presume the bi.ds have
way of advertising that answers the
purpose well. Maybe she trusted to luck
to fall in with some stray bachelor or be-
reayed male, who would undertake to con-
sole a widow Of one days standing. l
will say, in passing, that there are no
bachelors from choice among the birds !;
they are all rejected suitors, while old
maids are entirely unknown. There is a
Jack to every Gill; and some to boot.


The males being more exposed by their
song and plumage, and by being the pio-
neers in migrating, seem to be slightly in
excess, lest the supply fall short, and hence
it sometimes happens that few are bach
elors perforce there are not females
enough to 60 around, but before the season
is over there are sure to be some vacan-
ces in the marital ranks, which they are
called on to fill.


In the meantime the wrens we're beside
themselves with delight; they fairly
screamed JOY. If the male was before
" ruff1ed with whirlwind OF his ecstasies," !"
he was now in danger of being rent asun-
der. He inflated his throat and caroled
as never wren caroled before. And the
female, too, how she cackled and darted
about! How busy they both were I.
Rushing into the nest, they hustled those
eggs out in less than minute, wren time.
They carried in new material. and by the
third day we're fairly installed again In
their old quarters but on the third day
the female bluc-bird reappeared with an
other mate All! how the wren stock
went down then. What dismay and des
pair filled again those little breasts 1t
was pitiful. They did not scold as before,
but after day or two withdrew from the
garden. dumb with grief, and gave up the
struggle.


The blue-bird, finding her eggs gone
and her nest changed, seemed suddenly
seized with alarm and Stunned the box
or else, finding she had less need for an.
other husband than she thought, repented
her rashness and wanted to dissolve the
compact. But the happy bridegroom
would not take the hint, and exerted all
his eloquence to comfort and reassure her
He was fresh and fond, and until this be-
reaved female found him l am sure his suit
had not prospered that season. He thought
the box just the thing, and that there was
no need of alarm, and spent days in try
ing to persuade the female back. Seeing
he could not be step father to a family,
be was quite willing to assume a nearer
relation. He hovered about the box, he
went in and out, be called, he warbled, he
entreated the female would respond oc-
casionally and come and alight near, and
even peep into the nest. but would not
enter it, and quickly flew away again.
Her mate would reluctantly follow, but he
was soon back, uttering the most confident
and cheering calls, If she did not come
he would perch above the nest and sound
his loudest notes over and over again.
looking in the direction of his mate and
beckoning with every motion. But she
responded less and less frequently. Some
days would see him only, but finally he
gave it up; the pair disappeared, and the
box remained deserted the rest of the
summer. for AuGust.