34 A WOODLAND INTIMATE. 



a favorable position, I marched up to it, 

 when, lo, the bird at once took wing. This 

 was nothing to be disconcerted about, the 

 very promptness of the action making it 

 certain that the sitter must have been the 

 male. The pair were both in sight, and the 

 female would doubtless soon fill the place 

 which her less courageous lord had deserted. 

 So it turned out, and within a minute 

 everything was in readiness for a second es- 

 say. This proved successful. The first 

 insect was instantly laid hold of, whereupon 

 I heard a suppressed exclamation from be- 

 hind the field-glass. When I rejoined my 

 friend, having exhausted my supplies, noth- 

 ing would do but he must try something of 

 the kind himself. Accordingly, seizing my 

 hat, which dropped down well over his ears, 

 he made up to the tree. The bird pecked 

 his finger familiarly, and before long he 

 came rushing back to the path, exclaiming 

 that he must find something with which to 

 feed her. After overturning two or three 

 stones he uncovered an ant's nest, and 

 moistening his forefinger, thrust it into a 

 mass of eggs. With these he hastened to 

 the vireo. She helped herself to them ea- 



