A BIRD-LOVER'S APRIL. 241 



interruption. Neither bird made any outcry, 

 although one of them hopped round me, just 

 out of reach, with evident curiosity. He must 

 have thought me a queer specimen. When I 

 drew my overcoat up after me and put it on, 

 they flew away; but within a minute or two 

 they were both back again, working as merrily 

 as ever, and taking no pains not to litter me 

 with their rubbish. Once the female (I took 

 it to be she from her smaller size, not from this 

 piece of shiftlessness) dropped her load with- 

 out quitting the stub, a thing I had not seen 

 either of them do before. Twice one brought 

 the other something to eat. At last the male 

 took another turn at investigating my charac- 

 ter, and it began to look as if he would end 

 with alighting on my hat. This time, too, I 

 am proud to say, the verdict was favorable. 



Their confidence was not misplaced, and un- 

 less all signs failed they reared a full brood of 

 tits. May their tribe increase ! Of birds so 

 innocent and unobtrusive, so graceful, so merry- 

 hearted, and so musical, the world can never 

 have too many. 



16 



