" UPON THE TREE-TOP." 129 



without departures ; but on the morning, of the 

 twenty-eighth, number five came up to the edge. 

 This bird had begun his loud calls before he 

 appeared — the day before, in fact ; and when 

 he finally reached the outside world, he flew 

 very soon, about eight o'clock in the morning. 

 He, too, started for the distant tree that had 

 attracted number four, and the anxious mother, 

 remembering, no doubt, the late accident, flew 

 close by him, cheering and encouraging all the 

 time as she went. It was beautiful to see her, 

 sometimes over, sometimes under him, but 

 never a foot away, and constantly calling most 

 sweetly. He reached the tree in safety. 



Now came in sight number six — as it proved, 

 the last of the family. Unfortunately it was 

 not a fair morning, and soon it began to rain. 

 He crpwded nearer to the tree stem and sat in 

 silence. It was a cool reception from the 

 world ; I feared it would be too much for him. 

 The mother came anxiously, and now I saw 

 him fed. The parent had, so far as I could 

 see, nothing in her mouth, but she put her 

 beak to his, then drew it away, and returned it 

 again, four or five times in succession, to his 

 evident satisfaction. Most of the time the 

 youngster was alone on the tree, facing the wet, 

 wet world by himself, — occasionally calling a 

 little. It was so discouraging that I kept con- 



