JERRY THE KINGBIRD 203 



master of ceremonies in the nest building. His wife 

 helped all she could but Jerry bossed the job. 



As soon as the nest was done, the mother bird quietly 

 slipped on while Jerry perched on the very topmost twig 

 of the tree to watch for intruders. Old Jim Crow, who 

 was nesting down by the creek, having decided that grass- 

 hoppers should be plentiful in the meadow, started across 

 the orchard to this hunting ground. Before he was nearer 

 than two or three hundred yards, Jerry gave utterance to 

 his sharp tremulous cry, and made straight for Jim. Evi- 

 dently the crow knew what was coming, for with the first 

 sound of Jerry's voice he began to fly as fast as possible, 

 and dropped down close to the tree tops, hoping to escape 

 notice. Like a fury Jerry was upon him, pecking from 

 above, below, both sides, circling round and round, chat- 

 tering and scolding, and finally as a climax to his rage 

 alighted on the crow's back between the wings and began 

 pecking and tearing out the feathers. Half a dozen 

 came fluttering to the earth as proof of the fierceness of 

 the onslaught. 



The crow screamed in rage, dashed up and down, back 

 and forth, and in vain attempted to escape ; but it was not 

 until he was a full quarter of a mile away that Jerry left 

 him and returned to exult and explain to his wife the great 

 feat he had performed. He had hardly alighted on his 

 lookout when he spied the family cat quietly sitting in the 

 back yard. Here was another possible enemy, and with 

 his shrill challenge he rushed for her. Poor kitty sat up 

 mystified, hardly knowing what to do, when whack he took 

 her in the back of the head. She struck at him with her 

 paw, but before she could think he was out of reach, cir- 

 cling round, striking her again and again. Before many 



