152 IN THE MIDDLE COUNTRY. 



mercy, the family took the little fellow into the 

 house, when they saw that he was not quite right 

 in some way. One side seemed to be nearly 

 useless ; one foot did not hold on ; one wing was 

 weak ; and his breathing seemed to be one-sided. 

 The family, seeing that he could not take care of 

 himself, decided to adopt him. He took kindly 

 to human care and human food, and before the 

 end of a week had made himself very much at 

 home. He knew his food provider, and the 

 moment she entered the room he rose on his 

 weak little legs, fluttered his wings violently, 

 and presented a gaping mouth with the jay baby 

 cry issuing therefrom. Nothing was ever more 

 droll than this sight. He was an intelligent 

 youngster, knew what he wanted, and when he 

 had had enough. He would eat bread up to a 

 certain point, but after that he demanded cake 

 or a berry, and his favorite food was an egg. 

 He was exceedingly curious about all his sur- 

 roundings, examined everything with great care, 

 and delighted to look out of the window. He 

 selected his own sleeping - place, the upper 

 one of a set of bookshelves, and refused to 

 change ; and he watched the movements of a 

 wounded woodcock as he ran around the floor 

 with as much interest as did the people. Under 

 human care he grew rapidly stronger, learned to 

 fly more readily and to use his weak side ; and 



