258 



THE WESTERN BLUEnr%I3. 



Imt rc{;iilarly. until \hv second l)i<»i(l win- well in.itmid. Instinct I Instinct! 

 say yi>n'' I'lit. whcrcfur? Is it not ratiiiT a toreglcani of t-tliical lite, an out- 

 cropping of that altruistic tendency which hints a deeper kinshi]) with the birds 

 than we have yet confessed? 



And real gallantry between the sexes may not be less ethical. ( )n a day in 



Ohio, I locatetl a liluebird's nest in the knot-hole of an apple tree, and planted 



tiie camera in a commanding and somewhat threatening ])osition. The cavity 



held callow young, but after the parents bad visited their charges once and 



were somewhat relie\ed in anxiety. I saw a very ])retty |)assage which took 



place btlween iliiin. In a neighboring apple tree the male secured an elegrmt 



^ fat grub and was most devoutly thrashing it. when the 



^H female appeared upon the scene. With a coa.ving 



^H twitter she approached her mate: but he backed off. as 



^1 iiiucli as to say. "Wait. wait. dear, he isn't dead yet!" 



H But she was hungry and i)ressed her suit, until he 



H in good-nature<l impatience llitted across to another 



^^ limb. Here he whacked the worm vigorously, striking 



^M him first against one side of tiie limb and then against 



^p the other by a swinging motion of the bead. The 



f female followed her lord and cooed: "Oh. I know thai 



^B will ta.ste good. I'm! I hav'n't tasted one of those 



^ ^^T^^ while grubs for a week. So good of you. dearest! 



Rerdly. dont you think he is done now?" The \aliant 



husbanil gave the luckless grub just one more whack: 



and then, with every appearatice of satisfaction, he 



hoj)ped over toward his better half and ])laced the 



morsel in her waiting beak, while she received the 



1 favor with rpiivering wings and a soft fl<Nid of tender 



inkrn tliaiiks. Altogether I think I never saw a prettier exhi- 



I" bition of conjugal affection, gallantry, and genuine 



Sfokant. altruism than the sight afforded. It was not only like 

 '''""' tiie behavior <if humans: it was like the best in human 



/• s life, a pattern rather than a copy, ai? inspirati(^n to 



Mrrrtii. noliiliiy aud gentleness of the very highest type. 

 Iiluebirds have a decided preference for huiuan 

 society, or at least are very cpiick to a])preciate the 

 hospitality of proffered bird-lKixes. P.eing chiefly insectivorous, their presence 

 is a iR-nediction to any neighlH>rhood. and is an es]>ecial advantage in the 

 orchanl. A friend of mine in the East, who owns two young orchards and a 

 small vineyard, maintains ui)on his premises u|)wards of fifty niiiebird Ix^xes. 

 each coiuposed of a section of a hollow limb closed with a Inianl at top ami 

 lM>ttom. and provitled with a neat augur hole in the side. The boxes are luade 



i.iTTi.K BOY ni.ui;. 



