UNDER ROBIN SURVEILLANCE. 87 



away, and in a moment I heard his rich song 

 from afar. 



No one else paid the slightest attention to my 

 coaxing, and I returned by easy stages to the 

 spruces, whei^ I had the misfortune to arouse 

 the suspicion of a robin. Do you know what it 

 is to be under robin surveillance? Let but one 

 redbreast take it into his obstinate little head 

 that you are a suspicious character, and he 

 mounts the nearest tree — the very top twig, in 

 plain sight — and begins his loud " Peep ! peep ! 

 tut, tut, tut ! Peep! peep! tut, tut, tut!" 



This is his tocsin of war, and soon his allies 

 appear, and then 



" From the north, from the east, from the south and the west, 

 Woodland, wheat field, corn field, clover, 

 Over and over, and over and over, 

 Five o'clock, ten o'clock, twelve, or seven. 

 Nothing but robin-calls heard under heaven." 



No matter what you do or what you don't do. 

 One will perch on each side of you, and join the 

 maddening chorus, driving every bird in the 

 neighborhood either to join in the hue and cry 

 (as do some of the sparrows), or to hide liimseK 

 from the monster that has been discovered. 



I tried to tire them out by sitting absolutely 

 motionless ; but three, who evidently had busi- 

 ness in the vicinity, for each held a 'mouthful of 

 worms, guarded me to right and left and in 



