AN OWL'S HEAD HOLIDAY. vite 
have done so that evening, as they recalled to 
each other my eager fumbling of that innocent 
old stump. ‘This opinion as to the meaning of 
their conduct was confirmed in the course of a 
few days, when I came upon another similar 
group. ‘These were at first quite unaware of my 
presence ; and a very pretty family picture they 
made, in their snuggery of overthrown trees, 
the father breaking out into a song once ina 
while, or helping his mate to feed the young, 
who were already able to pick up a good part 
of their own living. Before long, however, one 
of the pair caught sight of the intruder, and then 
all at once the scene changed. The old birds 
chattered and scolded, bobbing up and down in 
their own ridiculous manner (although, consid- 
ered by itself, this gesture is perhaps no more 
laughable than some which other orators are 
applauded for making), and soon the place was 
silent and to all appearance deserted. 
Notwithstanding Owl’s Head is in Canada, 
the birds, as I soon found, were not such as 
characterize the ‘‘ Canadian Fauna.”  Olive- 
backed thrushes, black-poll warblers, crossbills, 
pine linnets, and Canada jays, all of which I 
had myself seen in the White Mountains, were 
none of them here ; but instead, to my surprise, 
were wood thrushes, scarlet tanagers, and wood 
ewees, — the two latter species in comparative 
) Pp 
17 
