AN IMPRUDENT BABY. 99 



intruder, and taking the whole care upon her- 

 self ; while her spouse occupied the topmost 

 twig of the tree on which his family was in 

 trouble, uttering at short intervals his musical 

 cry of distress, one rich, loud note. 



I did, however, on one occasion see a male 

 bluebird excited in the defense of his young. 

 It was in North Carolina, where a nestling 

 chanced to alight on the favorite resting-place 

 of a mocking-bird, and the latter a moment 

 afterward came to his usual perch not a foot 

 from the wild-eyed youngster. Then arose a 

 great outcry from both bluebirds, and one after 

 the other swooped down at that mocking-bird, 

 coming so near I thought they must hit him. 

 Again and again they returned to the charge 

 with loud cries, while the mocking-bird stood 

 quiet, crouched as though to dash into the 

 little one, and jerking wings and tail in a 

 wicked manner. It lasted but a moment, for 

 the nestling itself was scared and flew to an- 

 other branch, upon which the attack came to 

 an end, and the mother went to the baby, but 

 the father stood on a perch near the enemy, 

 and scolded for some time. 



Perhaps this individual bluebird had learned 

 to assist in the family defense, for they had 

 other troubles. The nest was in an unsafe 

 spot, the hollow dead limb of a tall pine-tree, 



