56 BIRD STORIES FROM BURROUGHS 



snake and harassed him from every side, but were 

 evidently under no spell save that of courage in 

 defending their nest. Every moment or two I 

 could see the head and neck of the serpent make 

 a sweep at the birds, when the one struck at would 

 fall back, and the other would renew the assault 

 from the rear. There appeared to be little dan- 

 ger that the snake could strike and hold one of 

 the birds, though I trembled for them, they were 

 so bold and approached so near to the snake's 

 head. Time and again he sprang at them, but 

 without success. How the poor things panted, and 

 held up their wings appealingly ! Then the snake 

 glided off to the near fence, barely escaping the 

 stone which I hurled at him. I found the nest 

 rifled and deranged; whether it had contained 

 eggs or young, I know not. The male spar- 

 row had cheered me many a day with his song, 

 and I blamed myself for not having rushed 

 at once to the rescue, when the arch enemy 

 was upon him. There is probably little truth in 

 the popular notion that snakes charm birds. The 

 black snake is the most subtle, alert, and devilish 

 of our snakes, and I have never seen him have 

 any but young, helpless birds in his mouth. 



If one has always built one's nest upon the 

 ground, and if one comes of a race of ground- 



