130 " UPON THE TREE-TOPy 



stant watch, hoping he would wait for better 

 weather, and fearing his wet wings would not 

 carry him even to the next tree. 



At about two o'clock it cleared, and after 

 much preening and dressing of feathers, num- 

 ber six flew successfully, reaching a still differ- 

 ent tree. No two of them alighted on the same 

 tree, and no two acted, or looked, or flew alike. 

 Also, I noticed the six had left the nest in 

 pairs, with forty-eight hours between each pair. 



All the next day I heard baby cries in tlie 

 adjoining lot, as well as in the woods beyond ; 

 but on the third day no sounds were to be 

 heard, no birds were seen, and the nest in the 

 maple was as completely deserted as if no ori- 

 oles had ever lived in the orchard. When the 

 little ones can fly, the birds are at home any- 

 where ; any twig is a perch, any field or wood 

 a gleaning ground, and any branch a bed. 



