LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. 45 



His restless spouse Lad only just settled down 

 when a wren-tit — a wren-like bird with a long- 

 tail — flew into a bush near her oak, and she 

 darted out of the nest to snap her bill over his 

 head. I thought it merely an excuse to leave 

 her brooding. Calling out " tsang," she again 

 flew at the brown bird who was hopping around 

 in the bush, so innocently, as I thought. Con- 

 queror for the moment, she flaunted back to the 

 nest, and after much ado finally settled down. 



For a time all was quiet. Hearing the low 

 cooing of doves, I went to talk to the pretty bird 

 in the oak, and she let me come near enough to 

 see her bluish bill and quiet eyes. As I returned 

 to the gnatcatchers, a chewink was hoeing in the 

 sand stream. Again the wren-tit approached 

 stealthily. I watched with languid interest till he 

 got to the gnat's tree. The instant he touched 

 foot upon her domain, she dashed down at him, 

 crying loudly and snapping her bill in his face. 

 The brown bird dodged her blows, held his foot- 

 ing in spite of her, and slowly made his way up 

 to the nest. I was astonished and frightened. 

 He leaned over the nest, and — what he actually 

 did I could not see, for by that time the blue- 

 gray's cries had called her mate and they were 

 both screaming and diving down at him as if they 

 would peck his eyes out; and it sounded as if 

 they hit him on the back good and hard. 



A peaceful lazuli bunting, hearing the commo- 



