190 A-BIRDING ON A BRONCO. 



bill, and I at once bethought me of the lazuli-like 

 marking's, the brownish wing - bars and the 

 sharp cry of " quit," which none but a lazuli could 

 give. That surely was my bird. 



But if so, what did this interest on the part of 

 the wren-tit mean ? She hopped about the nest- 

 ling with tail up and crest raised, chattering to it 

 in low mysterious tones ; and when I suspected 

 her of giving her worm to it, suddenly turned 

 her head and looked away with a suspiciously 

 non-commital air. The lazuli, however, sat in- 

 differently on a branch and plumed her feathers, 

 though when she did fly down toward the young 

 one, the wren-tit gave way. But even then the 

 lazuli did not feed the small bird. When she 

 had gone, the wren-tit came back. She spoke low 

 to the nestling, and drew it down into the thick 

 part of the tangle where I could not see them, 

 though there was a hint of tiny quivering wings, 

 and I was morally certain that the old bird was 

 feeding it, especially when she flew up in sight 

 with the smart air of having outwitted me. 



I was getting: more and more bewildered. 

 What did it all mean? Were there two families 

 of young down in the tangle ? If not, why were 

 two old birds feeding one little one, and to which 

 mother did the child belong? The wisdom of 

 Solomon was needed to solve the riddle. 



The wren-tit simply devoted herself to the little 

 bird, going and coming for it constantly ; while 



