236 NATURE SKETCHES IX TEMPERATE AMERICA 



signal for a general uprising among the bird colony. The male 

 oriole flew at the shrike with great vengeance, in defence of 

 his young, and the two locked in a fierce battle. Finally the 

 oriole, which was seemingly getting the worst of the fight, 

 attracted his mate by his screams and with her aid the shri^^e 

 was soon forced to retreat. In the meantime, some catbirds 

 and robins had heard the commotion and they joined in with 

 their scolding cries. 



The shrikes often appeared on the apple trees, perching on 

 the topmost branches, where they could look off into the open 

 distance. From these perches they would fly down to the 



ground to catch insects. Their 

 j)resence was generally sufficient 

 cause for the robin to set up a 

 cry, which in turn aroused the 

 orioles to action. 



The Red Squirrel's 

 Frolics 



HE artist who thinks he 

 can stroll in the woods 

 with a view to depicting 

 nature without eye witnesses, often 

 deceives himself. To be sure he may 

 ^ be free from human critics, but the squir- 

 rels are suie to discover the loiterer, especially if he sits down 

 beneath some forest trees where the bushy-tailed inhabitants 

 abound. At least this was my experience not long since when 

 attempting to sketch an interior view of an inviting piece of 

 woodland. With jiaper in hand I had fairly got seated when 

 a perfect storm of protest was expressed by the red squirrels. 

 Barking, whistling, and drumming, they pursued me. Down 

 the trunk of a tall beech one came, then, sounding his roll call. 

 he awakened his companions to action. He then frolicked 

 along a branch to make nearer inspection and greater demands. 

 There he paused, looking down constantly and staring me out 

 of countenance. But even then he was not satisfied with his 

 vantage-ground and ran along the branches, now and then 



