186 IN THE MIDDLE COUNTRY. 



study, and kept my seat. Occasionally he re- 

 turned to the lower part of his own tree, to see 

 if the monster had been scared or shamed away, 

 but finding me stationary, he returned to his 

 post and resumed his mournful cry. 



At length the happy thought came to me that 

 I might select a position a little less conspicu- 

 ous, yet still within sight, so I moved my seat 

 farther off, away back under a low-branched 

 apple-tree, where a redbird came around with 

 sharp " tsip's " to ascertain my business, and a 

 catbird behind the briar-bush entertained me 

 with delicious song. The oriole accepted my 

 retirement as a compromise, and returned to his 

 domestic duties, coming, as was natural and 

 easiest, on my side of the tree. His habit was 

 to cling to the side of the nest, showing his 

 black and red-gold against it, while his mate 

 alighted on the edge, and was seen a little above 

 it. After feeding, both perched on neighboring 

 twigs and looked about for a moment before 

 the next food-hunting trip. I thought the father 

 of the family exhibited an air of resignation, as 

 if he concluded that, since the babies made so 

 much noise, there was no use in trying longer 

 to preserve the secret. 



As a matter of fact, both our orioles need a 

 good stock of patience as well as of resignation, 

 for the infants of both are unceasing in their 



