FROM THE ELM-CLUMP 111 



not seem to fear us. The catbird even made it 

 his business to come out where he could get a 

 more intimate view of us. It took him a long 

 time and cost many efforts, but at each trial he 

 came a foot or two nearer before darting back, 

 and finally he was only five or six feet distant. 



In spite of his timidity the catbird is one of 

 the most companionable birds the camper meets. 

 His bump of curiosity always finally rules his 

 action, that is, if he is not in the slightest man- 

 ner shooed away; when once assured of safety, 

 he soon becomes bold enough to peck about the 

 fire-place, bathe in the basin, drink from the 

 water-pail, or even to eat the butter at meal-time 

 right before the eyes of the owner. This can be 

 said of very few of the woods birds that always 

 partly make friends and become a pleasant 

 factor of camp life. 



By and by a strangeer appeared. His 

 nervous gait and wagging tail, so noticeable as 

 he moved about on the ground, indicated one of 

 two birds: an oven bird or a water thrush. 

 When he tripped jerkily into better view, his 

 streaked, yellow throat and dark eye-marking 

 pronounced him a water thrush even before he 

 announced the fact himself in his characteristic 



