A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



beech limb. When he had commenced to ap- 

 proach the nest by short hitches along the 

 limb, the vireos changed their scolding to cries 

 of alarm. Immediately all the birds returned. 

 Again the owl was told that he was a robber 

 and a great rascal by every bird in the grove. 

 As he continued to approach the nest, I 

 thought it time to interfere. " Hold, there ! " 

 I shouted, and the effect on the owl was in- 

 stantaneous. He stopped short, crouched on 

 the limb, then twisted his impish face directly 

 into the back of his neck, and glared at me 

 with a frightened look in his wide-open eyes. 

 After a brief inspection he tumbled forward 

 off the limb, caught himself on his wings, 

 and floated as noiseless as a feather into the 

 dark shadows of Magnolia Swamp. I ex- 

 amined the vireo-nest and found it empty 

 in fact, it was not yet completed. 



It was evident, from what took place, that 

 birds of different species can communicate 

 with each other. 



First, the chickadees call other birds to the 



194 



