134 A JUNE ROUND OF CALLS. 



of our calling district. Behind liis cave, in a 

 high tree, lived a family of golden -winged wood- 

 peckers, who "laughed" and talked as loud as 

 they liked, scorning to look upon the two spies 

 so far below them. Not quite so self-possessed 

 and bold were they a little later, when madam 

 came up to the grass by the farmhouse with her 

 young son to teach him to dig, for that is what 

 she did. He was a canny youngster, though he 

 was shy, and had no notion of being left in the 

 lurch for a moment. If mamma flew to the 

 fence, he instantly followed ; did she return to 

 the ground, baby was in a second at her side 

 demanding attention. On one occasion while I 

 was watching them behind my blind, the mother 

 managed to slip away from him and disappear. 

 In a moment he realized his deserted condition, 

 stretched up, like a lost chicken, looking about 

 on every side, and calling, in a most plaintive 

 tone, "pe-au ! au!" and then, "au! au! pe- 

 au ! " When at length he saw his mother, he 

 burst into a loud cry of delight, and flew into a 

 locust-tree, where I heard for a long time low 

 complaining cries, as if he reproached her for 

 leaving her baby alone on the fence. 



On the right of the home of the golden wings, 

 in a sapling not more than five feet from the 

 ground, was the residence of a gay little red- 

 start, which we had watched almost from the 



