WITH THE THICKET BIRDS 137 



and struck off hippity-ippity through the shrub- 

 bery; but it took fully two hours for the irate 

 parents and their sympathizers to recover even 

 a shadow of their ordinary tranquility. They 

 never forgot or forgave the kidnapper, either; 

 and when next day two young grackles were 

 forced to sit up and face the kodak, the feud 

 opened afresh, and the din broke out fourfold. 

 This time the leading part was taken by the 

 grackles, with the robins as interested helpers; 

 but they needed no assistance, for though the 

 alleged crime was committed in the morning, 

 their hysterical rage kept them chirping away 

 hoarsely most of the day. 



This act, in their eyes, was evidently the last 

 straw. Henceforth there could be no friendly 

 relations. But it mattered little now, for 

 though the catbird was still brooding her five 

 eggs, the other tenants of the poplars whose 

 nests had been discovered — there were a num- 

 ber that kept their secrets well — all had their 

 families ready for flight. The first robin brood 

 scattered on the 15th; one grackle nestful went 

 on the 16th and another next day — they were 

 mighty immature youngsters, but they could fly 

 well — and the thrashers followed on the 21st. 



