The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



were frantic. They did their utmost to distract 

 Mr. Blacksnake's attention, darting almost into 

 his very face and then away again before he could 

 strike. But Mr. Blacksnake knew that they were 

 powerless to hurt him, and he knew that there were 

 eggs in that nest. There is nothing he loves 

 better than eggs unless it is a meal of baby birds. 

 Beyond hissing angrily two or three times he paid 

 no attention to Skimmer or his friends, but con- 

 tinued to creep nearer the entrance to that nest. 

 At last he reached a position where he could 

 put his head in the doorway. As he did so, 

 Skimmer and Mrs. Skimmer each gave a little 

 cry of hopelessness and despair. But no sooner 

 had his head disappeared in the hole in the old 

 apple-tree than Scrapper the Kingbird struck him 

 savagely. Instantly Mr. Blacksnake withdrew 

 his head, hissing fiercely, and struck savagely 

 at the birds nearest him. Several times the same 

 thing happened. No sooner would his head 

 disappear in that hole than Scrapper or one of 

 the other of Skimmer's friends, braver than the 

 rest, would dart in and peck at him viciously, and 

 all the time all the birds were screaming as only 

 excited feathered folk can. Johnny Chuck was 

 quite as excited as his feathered friends, and so 

 intent watching the hated black robber that he 

 had eyes for nothing else. Suddenly he heard 

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