Reaching down with his bill he tried to pull it 
away, but the more he pulled the more tightly 
it became fastened. <A pair of orioles had built - 
their nest in that elm, and earlier in the season, 
when one of them was carrying up grass and 
strings with which to make it, a thin black cord 
which it had been carrying became entangled on 
this dead twig, and there it was left. Like a snare 
it had caught the kingbird, and presently, when 
he attempted to fly, he found himself brought 
up with a jerk. A moment later he was swing- 
ing head downward, tail in air, thirty feet from 
the ground. Over and over again he tried to fly 
but could not escape. 
His mate saw him in this unusual position 
and, flying across the street, fluttered around 
him, gently pecking at her companion. She 
perched on the dead twig above, and looked down 
wonderingly at his struggles; but she did not 
know what was the matter or how to relieve him. 
Some boys came along the street and saw what 
was going on. Two of the larger ones began to 
throw stones at him, while the little one—he of 
the broken kite—tried to stop them. No one 
52 
