MY BLUE GUM GROVE. 219 



round balls, but, not satisfied, I pulled down the 

 bouffh and found one round ball and one mite of 

 a gray back with microscopic yellow hairs on each 

 side of the spine. The whole tiny body seemed 

 to throb with its heart beats. I wondered how 

 such a midget could ever be fed, but found, as in 

 the case of the hummer under the little lover's 

 tree, that the mother gave its food most gently, 

 reserving her violent pumping for a more suitable 

 age ; though one would as soon think of poking a 

 needle down a baby's throat as that bill. 



Often, while watching the nest, my thoughts 

 wandered away to the grove itself. The brown 

 earth between the rows was barred by alternate 

 lines of sunlight and shadow, and the vista of each 

 avenue ended in blue sky. Sometimes cool ocean 

 breezes would penetrate the forest. The rows of 

 trees, with their gently swaying, interlacing 

 branches, cast moving shadows over the sun- 

 touched leafy floor, giving a white light to the 

 grove ; for the undersides of the young eucalyptus 

 leaves are like snow. From the stiff, sickle- 

 shaped upper leaves the sun glanced, dazzling 

 the eyes. Mourning doves cooed, and the sweet 

 notes of yellow-birds filled the sunny grove with 

 suggestions of happiness. A yellow butterfly 

 wandered down the blue aisles. Such a secure 

 retreat ! I returned to it again and again, coming 

 in out of the hot yellow world and closing behind 

 me the doors of my 'rest-house,' for the little 



