84 A CHANGE OF TACTICS. 



the thrush, when he alternated the upright po- 

 sition with a lowered head, and bill pointed 

 toward the foe, changing from one to the other 

 very suddenly. When he came so near, the 

 thrush crouched flat on the floor, with beak 

 turned squarely against the approaching bird, 

 and thus awaited the onslaught. 



In that attitude the mocking-bird did not 

 apparently like to attack him. He threatened 

 a long time, then retreated gradually, making 

 feints, turning, running a few inches, and bring- 

 ing up suddenly with a half turn back. In this 

 manner he moved away for some distance, then 

 flew to the round of the chair, the seat, the 

 arm, the back, and so on till he reached the 

 ladder again. Then for the first time the 

 thrush changed his position and rose to his feet, 

 when, without the least warning, the mocker 

 flung himself madly after him, and the thrush, 

 unprepared, ran, with a sharp cry. Obviously 

 the mocking-bird, finding the first method of 

 attack, which was probably his usual one, a 

 failure, decided to try another, as the event 

 proved, successfully. The excitement of this 

 performance evidently gave him pleasure, no 

 doubt helped to pass away the long hours, for 

 he often indulged in it, always making his ap- 

 proach in the same deliberate way, tripping 

 daintily a step or two at a time, examining 



