128 A JOLLY KED-HEAD. 



ing to see two of them peep at each other a mo- 

 ment around the bole of a tree, and then jerk their 

 heads back, precisely as you have seen children do 

 in playing " peek-a-boo." Besides they often play 

 " catch " or " tag," dashing pell-mell after each 

 other among the trees, until you wonder the}^ do 

 not dash themselves to atoms. Few birds are 

 more expert dodgers. 



A pair of bluebirds had a nest in a box near my 

 house last spring. They seemed to be greatly 

 vexed by the presence of a red-head which was in 

 the habit of coasting on the maples along the 

 street. They would make a quick dash at him, but 

 the '' artful dodger " would often slip dexterously 

 around to the other side of the tree out of harm's 

 way. Sometimes, however, he would stand his 

 ground, and present his long spear of a bill to his 

 enemies as they flung themselves at him, and thus 

 keep them at a safe distance ; for no bluebird 

 would care to impale himself on the end of a lance 

 like that. Still, the woodpecker would occasion- 

 ally lose a feather by failing to be quick enough 

 to evade the swift assaults of his enemies. I do 

 not, know whether he sometimes makes a raid on 

 other birds' nests or not ; I hope not ; but I have 

 noticed that robins and bluebirds have a mortal 



