HOSTILITIES CONTINUED. 77 



extraordinary movement, the wings raised high 

 above his head, and moved quickly back and 

 forth with a fanning motion. The Mexican 

 turned suddenly to him and he flew. Two or 

 three times he repeated the performance, but 

 was each time forced to fly before the large, 

 strong beak wielded by his opponent, who fin- 

 ished his bath, and retired to a perch to dress 

 his feathers. Now the mocking-bird resumed 

 his splashing; but when thoroughly wet, the 

 thought seemed to strike him that he was not 

 in good fighting trim, and must dry himself as 

 quickly as possible to be ready for war, which 

 he at once did by flirting and shaking himself, 

 bounding from one end to the other of a perch, 

 as though he had suddenly gone mad. He was 

 soon in order, and more than ready to resume 

 hostilities. The enemy still occupied his favor- 

 ite position upon his roof. Two cages stood 

 side by side on a shelf, and across the tops of 

 them, with great noise and tramping of feet, the 

 Mexican delighted to run, thus amusing himself 

 an hour at a time. Seeing him off his guard, 

 the wary fellow watched his chance, and when 

 his foe was at one end of the course he sud- 

 denly alighted on the other. The Mexican ran 

 madly at him, clattering his bill furiously, when 

 he gracefully rose from his place, flew over, 

 and perched on the other end. The run was 



