134 MY LADY IN GREEN. 



lower one squirmed out from under. At nine 

 days tliey filled the nest so full that their bodies 

 showed above the edge, and gave it the appear- 

 ance from my window of being filled with hairy 

 and very restless caterpillars. 



The eighth and the ninth day of their little 

 lives opened their eyes on the beautiful green 

 world about them, and backs began to look 

 ragged, as if feathers were at hand. Character 

 was developing also. When mamma touched 

 a closed beak in invitation to lunch, it would 

 'sometimes respond with a quick little jerk, as 

 who should say, " Let me alone ! " or " Don't 

 bother me ! " and on this day began also the 

 attempt to dress the feathers yet to appear, and 

 the running out of the bristle-like tongue. 



A great surprise awaited me on the fifth day 

 of my enchanting study, the tenth of their life. 

 When I paid my morning visit to the bewitch- 

 ing pair, lying, as always now, close up to the 

 edge of their frail cup, they looked at me with 

 clear, calm black eyes, and saluted me in low, 

 plaintive voices. I should hardly have been 

 more startled if they had spoken to me. 



They assumed a new attitude also toward 

 mamma, refusing to allow her to crush them 

 down into the nest and sit upon them, as if they 

 were babies still. They would keep their heads 

 up, and sometimes she really had a struggle in 



I 



