188 THE VAGARIES OF A WARBLER. 



play went on; and after tea, just before dark^ 

 we came out a<^ain. All this time the war be- 

 tween the two still raged, with no abatement of 

 spirit. 



Breakfast was not loitered over on the follow- 

 ing morning, and we hurried out to our post. 

 The situation was changed a little. The young- 

 ster had made up his mind to go out into the 

 world. He had moved as far as the branch, a 

 few inches from the nest, and was still fed on 

 both sides by his zealous providers. Mamma, 

 however, though every time repelling her unwel- 

 come assistant, was not so nervous. Perhaps she 

 realized that a few hours more would end the 

 trouble. She fed, she encouraged, and pretty 

 soon, while we looked, the infant flew to the 

 nearest tree. 



Now the chestnut-sided began to have diffi- 

 culty in following up his self-imposed charge. 

 He took to coming close upon the mother's heels 

 to see where she went. But this course was at- 

 tended with the difficulty that the instant she 

 had fed she was ready to turn upon him, which 

 she never failed to do. 



After several short flights about the tree, the 

 young bird, grown bolder, perhaps by over-feed- 

 ing, for surely never nestling was stuffed as that 

 one was, attempted a more ambitious flight, 

 failed, and came fluttering to the ground, much 



