BOBOLINK WILES. 151 



business-like that it would naturally deceive one 

 not possessed of our precious secret, the real 

 spot where his three babies were cradled, and 

 one might easily be led all over the meadow by 

 the wily fellow. 



For six successive days we paid our short vis- 

 its, and found the nestlings safe. They did not 

 seem to mature very fast, though they came to 

 look up at us, and open their mouths for food. 

 But on the seventh day there was a change in 

 Master Robert's behavior. On the afternoon of 

 this day, wishing to observe their habits more 

 closely, I found a seat imder a tree at some dis- 

 tance, not near enough, as I thought, to disturb 

 them. 



I did disturb them sorely, however, as in- 

 stantly appeared. The calmness they had shown 

 during all the days we had been looking at the 

 nest was gone, and they began to scold at once. 

 The head of the family berated me from the top 

 of a grass-stem, and then flew to a tall old stump, 

 and put me under the closest surveillance, con- 

 stantly uttering a queer call like "Chack-que- 

 dle-la," jerking wings and tail, and in everyway 

 showing that he considered me intrusive and al- 

 together too much interested in his family affairs. 

 I admitted the charge, I could not deny it; but 

 I did not retire. 



At last he apparently determined to insist 



