THE DOG'S SNEEZE. 161 



her to do it, a terrific sound broke the silence. 

 The big dog, protector and constant companion 

 of my fellow -student, overcome by the torment 

 of mosquitoes, and having no curiosity about 

 tanagers to make him endure them, had yielded 

 to his emotions and sneezed. Away went the 

 tanager family, and, laughing at the absurd acci- 

 dent, away we went too, happy at having dis- 

 covered the nest, and planning to come the next 

 day. We came next day, and many days there- 

 after, but never again did we see the birds near. 

 They abandoned the nest, doubtless feeling that 

 they had been driven away by a convulsion of 

 nature. 



One day, somewhat later, in the winter wren's 

 quarter, where there were pools left by a heavy 

 rain, we met them again. Madam was bathing, 

 and her husband accompanied her as guard and 

 protector. They flew away together. All of 

 June we heard him sing, and we often followed 

 him, but never again did we surprise a secret of 

 his, till the very last day of the month. We 

 had been making a visit to our veery nests, and 

 on our way back noticed that the tanager was 

 more than usually interested in our doings. He 

 seemed very busy too, with the air of a person 

 of family. While we were watching to see 

 what it meant, he caught a flying insect and 

 held it in his mouth. Then we knew he had lit- 



