Grass is <$reen 



because the whole truth in bird stories is too 

 much for the average reader ; but I was interested 

 in testing their fearlessness and intelligence, so, 

 after sitting perfectly still, but watching them by 

 movements of the head, I changed my tactics and 

 pretended to be asleep, keeping an eye open. 

 The bird was puzzled at first, and seemed annoyed 

 not to be able to fathom the mystery. Nearer 

 and nearer it came, and when I thought it had 

 reached the extent of its daring, I gave a sudden 

 start. The cat-bird gave as sudden a squeak, and 

 I saw it no more. 



Up to this time, the other birds I have men- 

 tioned were more concerned with their own affairs 

 than with me, but the cat-bird episode drew their 

 attention more closely to my presence, and I found 

 myself literally the observed of all observers. The 

 vireo, never ceasing to sing, and the sparrows kept 

 overhead, the chewink close to the ground, and 

 the chat darted hither and thither, ventriloquizing 

 splendidly, and so making itself appear every- 

 where but where it really was. The conditions 

 were interesting, but I could get nothing out of 

 it, I being the caged animal and the birds the 

 spectators. I changed my position and got near 

 enough the spring to lean over and drink from it 

 had I chosen. This changed the whole status of 

 affairs. I had almost sat upon the chewink's nest, 

 and what a racket was sounded. Never did birds 

 chirp more loudly, and the chewink now got 

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