A WIDOW AND TWINS. 123 



ready fifteen days old, at least, and, unless 

 they were to prove uncommonly backward 

 specimens, ought to be on the wing forth- 

 with. Nevertheless they were in no haste. 

 Day after day passed. The youngsters 

 looked more and more like old birds, and 

 the mother grew constantly more and more 

 nervous. 



On the 18th I found her in a state of un- 

 precedented excitement, squeaking almost 

 incessantly. At first I attributed this to 

 concern at my presence, but after a while it 

 transpired that a young oriole a blunder- 

 ing, tailless fellow was the cause of the 

 disturbance. By some accident he had 

 dropped into the leafy treetop, as guiltless of 

 any evil design as one of her own nestlings. 

 How she did buzz about him ! In and out 

 among the branches she went, now on this 

 side of him, now on that, and now just over 

 his back; all the time squeaking fiercely, 

 and carrying her tail spread to its utmost. 

 The scene lasted for some minutes. 

 Through it all the two young birds kept 

 perfectly quiet, never once putting up their 

 heads, even when the mother, buzzing and 

 calling, zigzagged directly about the nest. 



