WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



choice repast. This dainty tyrant wears an over- 

 coat of bluish ash trimmed with black and white, 

 a vest of white marked with fine, wavy, trans- 

 verse lines, white knee-breeches, and black stock- 

 ings. His eyes are dark and piercing; his nose 

 Napoleonic; his forehead high and white; his 

 mustache as heavy and black as that of any cav- 

 alier in Spain. This Mephistopheles among birds 

 is a ruffian, truly, yet with polish and a courage 

 without bravado which commend him. Being an 

 outlaw in the avine kingdom, he can only main- 

 tain himself by adroitness and force, but has such 

 singular impetuosity, prudence, and fortitude that 

 he is not only able to keep himself and his re- 

 tainers in health and w^ealth and happiness, but 

 to gratify his bloodthirsty love of revenge by kill- 

 ing numberless innocents without mercy. Thus 

 he has struck terror to the heart of every feathered 

 inhabitant of the January woods. Like Caesar, 

 he knows and joyously endures hunger and cold 

 and thirst. Is it biting, freezing weather, and 

 blinding snow? Little cares he; he can then the 

 more easily surprise his benumbed prey. Is it 

 a warm, sap-starting, inviting day? He is at 

 the festival of the birds — a fatal intruder into 

 many a happy circle. His favorite perch is the 



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