222 " THESE ARE YOUR BROTHERS.^' 



dently a new experience, and be called to me 

 again and again, and was so delighted that it 

 was charming to see. Never since that day 

 has he neglected the bath, and he often gets so 

 wet that he cannot fly to his cage, four feet 

 above, till he has shaken himself out. 



Now, at this hour of noon, all four birds are 

 sitting quietly on their perches, indulging in 

 their accustomed midday siesta. Suddenly the 

 goldfinch utters in soft undertone, " Seep ! " 

 There is no reply, and after a moment he 

 speaks again, a little louder : " Peep I peep ! " 

 Across the window the cardinal, sitting motion- 

 less on his perch, now adds his voice in a low 

 call, followed soon by a loud " Three cheers ! 

 three cheers ! " The thrush, on the other side 

 of the room, next strikes in gently, a genuine 

 whisper song, keeping his eye on me to see if 

 I observe him. At last comes the blackbird, 

 with loud, clear " h'wa-ker-ee ! " and all four 

 are singing like mad. Then suddenly they 

 drop to silence. The cardinal goes down for a 

 lunch of rice ; the thrush stands swelled out, 

 motionless, on his perch ; the blackbird inter- 

 ests himself in the state of his feet and in 

 stretching his wings ; and the goldfinch plumes 

 his feathers. When all these duties are per- 

 formed and the cardinal has settled himself 

 once more, there is a pause of a few moments, 

 and the concert begins again in the same way. 



