TOO MUCH ATTENTION. 95 



where the squawk of a jay was seldom heard, 

 began to take an interest in this unusual gath- 

 ering. Two cedar birds, with the policy of 

 peace which their Quaker garb suggests, betook 

 themselves to a safe distance, a cat-bird went 

 to the tree to interview the clamorous stranger, 

 a vireo made its appearance on the branches, 

 and followed the big baby in blue from perch to 

 perch, looking at him with great curiosity, while 

 a veery uttered his plaintive cry from the fence 

 below. 



All this attention was too much for a blue- 

 jay, who always wants plenty of elbow room in 

 this wide world. He flew off towards the woods, 

 where, after a proper interval to see that no 

 more babies were in trouble, he was followed by 

 his grown-up relatives from every quarter. But 

 I think they had a convention to talk it over, up 

 in the woods, for squawks and cries of many 

 kinds came from that direction for a long time. 



