A BLUEBIRD BABY. 73 



little ones came every day on the la^\^l together. 

 Sometimes the mother came near to see how they 

 prospered, but oftener they were alone. They 

 cried no more ; they ran about in the grass, and 

 if one happened upon a fat morsel, the three 

 others crowded around him and asked in pretty 

 baby fashion for a share. Often they went to 

 the fence, or the lower bar of the grape trellis, 

 and there stood pertly erect, with head leaning 

 a little forward, as though pondering some of the 

 serious problems of bluebird life, but in fact con- 

 cerning themselves only with the movements in 

 the grass, as now and then a sudden plunge 

 proved. Sometimes one of the gToup appeared 

 alone on the ground, when no person was about 

 (except behind the blinds), and then he talked 

 with himself for comj)any, a very charming mon- 

 ologue in the inimitable bluebird tone, with 

 modifications suggesting that a new and wonder- 

 ful song was possible to him. He was evidently 

 too full of joy to keep still. 



The English sparrow, who had usurped the 

 martin house in the yard, warned him off; the 

 tiny golden warbler, who flitted about the shrub- 

 bery all day, threatened to annihilate him, but 

 with infantile innocence he refused to under- 

 stand hostility; he stared at his assailant, and 

 he held his ground. The little flock of four was 

 captivating to see, and though the mother looked 



