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THE CAVE-DWELLING FAMILY 37 
had some queer tricks. One was hunting in a 
workbox for a paper of needles, taking it down 
to the floor, and working it open, then suddenly 
giving it a jerk that sent the needles in a shower 
all over the floor. 
This bird was once shut up in a room alone, 
while the family were at table. He did not like 
it, for he wanted to be with them ; so he amused 
himself unwinding all the spools of thread in the 
workbox. He took one end of the thread and 
carried it all about the room, around everything 
and over everything — vases on the shelf, pic- 
tures on the wall, chair-legs, sofas, and lamps. 
Everything in the room was tied together, so 
that no one could go in lest something should 
be thrown down. The naughty bird was de- 
lighted with his mischief. He sat there singing 
at the top of his voice. The only way the 
family could get into the room was to get SCIS- 
sors and cut their way in. They found empty 
spools all over the floor, and hundreds of yards 
of thread used. 
The Carsrrp is dressed in plain slate-color. 
He is a near relative of the mockingbird, and 
better known in the Eastern States. He is also 
a fine singer, though he is not so famous. This 
is partly because he sings usually from the mid- 
