TOO MANY WOOERS. 135 



open, feathers bristled up, wings fluttering, and 

 every way quite ready to defend herself. Like 

 other blusterers, on the first show of fight he 

 calmed down, and the matter ended for the time. 

 Peace lasted from ten to twenty minutes, dur- 

 ing which they hopped about the tree, or hung 

 head-downward on the Spanish moss, talking 

 in low tones, though the male never omitted 

 delivering a scolding note with every two or 

 three pleasant ones. Her voice was charming, 

 in a tender call, a gentle chatter, or a sweet 

 song, unspoiled by the harsh tones of her part- 

 ner. She was also a very pretty bird, bright 

 yellow below, olive-yellow on the back, no 

 black about the face, and legs and feet blue as 

 the sky, and she was as graceful as she was 

 beautiful. 



Repose of manner was unknown to the or- 

 chard orioles. One was scarcely ever seen 

 sitting or standing still. The song was given 

 while moving, either flying or hopping about 

 on the tree. If one did pause while it was ut- 

 tered, the body jerked, and the head turned 

 this way and that, as though he really was too 

 restless to be perfectly quiet for a moment. 



The most tempestuous times were when the 

 younger suitor put himself forward and per- 

 suaded the fair yellow damsel to show him some 

 slight preference. The venerable lover was not 



