74 A CURIOUS SCENE. 



of either. The mocking-bird, without provoca- 

 tion, dropped from the upper perch upon the 

 finch, who uttered a sharp cry and darted away. 

 Two or three little feathers flew, though no 

 hurt could be seen ; but the smaller bird panted 

 violently for a half hour, as though frightened, 

 and for four or five hours sat quietly on a perch, 

 neither eating nor making a sound, — a very 

 unusual proceeding for the lively chattering lit- 

 tle fellow. This proved to be a declaration of 

 open war, and was so vigorously followed up 

 that before many days the larger bird's door 

 was not opened until his victim had had his 

 outing and returned to his home. Teasing 

 never lost its attraction for him, however. He 

 delighted to alight on the cage and worry his 

 little foe, or to stand near his door and stare 

 at him. On one such occasion a curious scene 

 occurred. They stood three inches apart, with 

 the wires between them, when the finch sud- 

 denly began reaching upward as far as possible ; 

 taller and taller he stretched up, till he fairly 

 stood on tiptoe. The mocking-bird, not to be 

 outdone, imitated the movement on his side of 

 the bars, of course towering far above his copy. 

 It seemed to afford both of them great satisfac- 

 tion ; perhaps it expressed contempt more fully 

 than was possible in any other way. 



The largest bird in the room, a Mexican 



