A DELIBERATE INSULT. 75 



thrush, was considerably stronger and fiercer 

 than our native wood-thrush, and it seemed ab- 

 surd for the mocking-bird to measure swords 

 with him. So it would have been but for the 

 fact that the Mexican, having lost part of his 

 wing feathers, was clumsy, unable to fly readily, 

 and no match for his active, agile antagonist ; 

 he always conquered when hostilities reached 

 the point of a personal encounter, but he was 

 soon soured, and declined to meet the enemy. 

 Two or three times they flew up together, like 

 quarrelsome cocks, but the decisive and final 

 dispute was over the bathing-dish. It hap- 

 pened that morning that the Mexican came out 

 before the goldfinch was shut up, and hence the 

 the mocking-bird's door was not yet opened. 

 He flew at once to the top of his neighbor's 

 cage to dress his feathers and shake himself 

 out. It looked like a deliberate insult, and the 

 captive in his cage evidently so regarded it; 

 he crouched on the upper perch and opened his 

 mouth at the enemy, who calmly went on with 

 his operations. The moment the finch was safe 

 at home I opened the door, and the mocking- 

 bird came out in haste. Pretending not to see 

 the Mexican, he descended to the bathing-dish, 

 doubtless to cool his heated blood. The first 

 splash, however, interested the enemy on his 

 roof, and he flew to the floor ; but the bather 



