6 SHARP EYES. 
tioned to the beak that held it. The young bird flut 
tered and fluttered and screamed, “1’m stuck, I’m 
stuck,” till the anxious parent again seized the morsel 
and carried it to an iron railing, where she came down 
upon it for the space of a minute with all the force 
and momentum her beak could command. Then she 
offered it to her young a third time, but with the 
same result as before, except that this time the bird 
dropped it; but she was at the ground as soon as the 
cicada was, and taking it in her beak flew some dis- 
tance to a high board fence where she sat motionless 
for some moments. While pondering the problem 
how that fly should be broken, the male bluebird ap- 
proached her, and said very plainly, and I thought 
rather curtly, “Give me that bug,” but she quickly 
resented his interference and flew farther away, where 
she sat apparently quite discouraged when I last saw 
her. 
The bluebird is a home bird, and I am never tired 
of recurring to him. His coming or reappearance in 
the spring marks a new chapter in the progress of the 
season ; thing's are never quite the same after one has 
heard that note. ‘The past spring the males came 
about a week in advance of the females. A fine male 
lingered about my grounds and orchard all the time, 
apparently waiting the arrival of his mate. He called 
and warbled every day, as if he felt sure she was 
within ear-shot, and could be hurried up. Now he 
warbled half-angrily or upbraidingly, then coaxingly, 
then cheerily and confidently, the next moment in a 
plaintive, far-away manner. He would half open his 
wings, and twinkle them caressingly, as if beckoning 
his mate to his heart. One morning she had come, 
but was shy and reserved. The fond male flew toa 
