134 TRANSIENT GUESTS IN THE BIRD-ROOM. 



rapidly lost favor, and he completed the list of 

 his offences by amusing himself at intervals 

 through the night by a violent and loud flap- 

 ping of his broad wings, lasting at least half 

 a minute each time, and thoroughly arousing 

 every one within hearing, bird or human. A 

 very few nights ended his stay in the room. 



The next sentence of banishment went forth 

 against two bobolinks, which, at the end of a 

 fortnight's coaxing and kindness were still so 

 wild that they were voted idiots unworthy of 

 study. Those few days, however, were enough 

 to show that the two were utterly unlike in dis- 

 position. One was an earthly-minded person- 

 age, caring for nothing but physical comforts, 

 and quite happy so long as the food-dish was 

 full, the bathing-cup at hand, and no human 

 being near. The other bobolink was of finer 

 quality. So great was his interest in his new 

 surroundings that he could scarcely spend time 

 to eat. Nothing that went on in the room 

 or outside the windows escaped his quick eye, 

 and the manner in which he stretched up on 

 his long legs to look at anything showed plainly 

 his grass-frequenting habits. His amazement 

 when the other birds were flying about was 

 amusing to see. 



Also the relation between the two bobolinks 

 was remarkable. The latter bird always took 



