120 A-BIRDING ON A BRONCO. 



delicate white bloom. I saw blackbirds carry- 

 ing material into this thicket, but as I had 

 known of neighbors' horses getting bitten by 

 rattlesnakes among the high weeds, did not 

 think it worth while to wade around in it much 

 for such common birds as they. But one day, 

 seeing a pair of rare blue grosbeaks fly down 

 into the tangle, I turned Billy right in after 

 them, though holding his head well up in con- 

 sideration of the snakes. The birds vanished, 

 so we stood still to wait. Suddenly I heard a 

 slight sound as of something slipping through 

 the weeds at Billy's feet, and looking down saw 

 a snake marked like a rattler ; and as it slid by 

 Billy's hoof I noticed with horror that the end 

 of its tail was blunt — the harmless gopher snake 

 that resembles the rattler has a tapering tail ! 

 I gazed at it spellbound, but in the dim light 

 could not make out whether it had rattles or not. 

 I had seen enough, however, and whipping up 

 Billy was out of those weeds in a hurry. Safely 

 outside, I looked at my little horse remorsefully 

 — what if my desire to see a new nest had been 

 the cause of his getting a rattlesnake bite ! 



The next day when I went down to the syca- 

 more a German was mowing there with a pair 

 of mules. He was a typical Rhinelander, with 

 blue eyes and long curling hair and beard, 

 and as he drove he sang in a deep rich voice 

 one of the beautiful melodies of his fatherland. 



