A BIRD-LOVER’S APRIL. 241 
interruption. Neither bird made any outcry, 
although one of them hopped round me, just 
out of reach, with evident curiosity. He must 
have thought me a queer specimen. When I 
drew my overcoat up after me and put it on, 
they flew away; but within a minute or two 
they were both back again, working as merrily 
as ever, and taking no pains not to litter me 
with their rubbish. Once the female (I took 
it to be she from her smaller size, not from this 
piece of shiftlessness) dropped her load with- 
out quitting the stub, a thing I had not seen 
either of them do before. Twice one brought 
the other something to eat. At last the male 
took another turn at investigating my charac- 
ter, and it began to look as if he would end 
with alighting on my hat. This time, too, I 
am proud to say, the verdict was favorable. 
Their confidence was not misplaced, and un- 
less all signs failed they reared a full brood of 
tits. May their tribe increase! Of birds so 
innocent and unobtrusive, so graceful, so merry- 
hearted, and. so musical, the world can never 
have too many. 
= 16 
