AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 105 



ever, he stayed so late that the family honored by his call felt sure he would 

 be caught by some cat or dog, and so with infinite pains, the young ladies 

 caught him and carried him home in a covered basket. This indignity was 

 fearfully resented, and on his arrival he seemed actually to appeal to his 

 hostess to let them know how needless was their trouble and anxiety, and as- 

 sured them, by his own frantic explanations and demonstrations, that the 

 frequent statement, "birds cannot see or fly in the night" was entirely er- 

 roneous. 



Jim's life and habits were a very interesting study, but his intellectual 

 processes and fastidious tastes were even more remarkable. His early inter- 

 est in the possessions of others developed, as his strength increased, into a 

 desire to appropriate and hide the objects of his fancy. Forbidden things 

 had the greater charm, and mischief was his delight. Matches were a be- 

 setting temptation, wherever discovered. He would recognize a box of them, 

 quietly take possession, and before he could be prevented, scatter them far 

 and wide; and no threat or punishment availed against this habit. Unim- 

 portant trifles, or surplus food, were hidden in the grass, or covered with 

 paper. But he had a permanent collection of what he considered real treas- 

 ures, such as scissors, spectacles, thimbles, or any shining thing he could 

 carry. It was a lasting grief to him that the nickel trimmings of the stoves 

 could not be transported to his museum, though he never really gave up the 

 hope, and would return to the charge day after day, pecking and tugging 

 at some small bright knob or strip, and seasoning his efforts with low but 

 earnest crow expletives. His treasure house was a hollow tree some rods 

 away from the road. The opening was very high, and no human being could 

 get the stolen articles out, nor, apparently, could Jim obtain them again. 

 But he would drop them in shouting in unholy exultation if pursued, and 

 laugh his glee as he recounted his successes to all the neighborhood. 



A treasure once secured, he laid claim to ever after, fighting and using 

 scandalous epithets to any one who tried to take it. I once held out a coin 

 toward him, as I sat near. He was cautious and suspicious, and would not 

 come to my knee to take it. I dropped the hand containing it to my side, 

 and went on conversing, pretending not to see him. He edged nearer and 

 nearer, snatched it, ran off" a few feet and hid it among the weeds. Soon I 

 went and picked it up and sat with it in my hand, till he went to look for it. 

 Finding it gone, he bravely demanded it again, hopping on my lap and 

 shoulder and scolding loudly until he was permitted to take it, when it was 

 immediately buried in a new place. When it was taken from there, he con- 

 tinued the fight for nearly an hour, demanding the penny with the most vir- 

 tuous indignation whenever it was disturbed. 



But Jim had a good side to his character, as well as a thievish and mis- 



