TAKING HIMSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. 165 



provided — makes a sort of spasmodic movement 

 in his own throat, probably raising from some 

 internal reservoir another portion of food, the 

 infant opens his beak again, and the operation 

 is repeated. 



Of course my presence interfered with this 

 elaborate, several-course breakfast, and the el- 

 der of the two fell to reproaching me by loud 

 calls and vehement bows in my direction. See- 

 ing that I was not sufficiently impressed, and 

 did not depart, he resorted to stronger meas- 

 ures ; he swayed his head from side to side, 

 stretching out his neck like an enraged goose, 

 and presenting a most droll aj^pearance. 



At first the youngster seemed to be paralyzed, 

 but suddenly — perhaps realizing what harm 

 my inopportune appearance had done — he also 

 began to bow and sway, exactly as papa was 

 doing. Anything more ludicrous than those 

 two birds standing face to face and performing 

 such antics it is hard to imagine ; no one but a 

 flicker could be at the same time so serious and 

 so absurd. 



At the edge of the meadow, where it sloped 

 sharply down to the marsh, lived one whose 

 days were full of trouble, which he took care to 

 make known to the world, — a 



" Fire-wing-ecl blackbird, wearing on his shoulders 

 Red, gold-edg-ed epaulets." 



