182 LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY 



bring him to the spot in an instant. Would that 

 some evil fate would make her cry, then ! Presently 

 he encounters a rival. His feeding-ground infringes 

 upon that of another, and the two birds regard each 

 other threateningly. This is a good sign, for their 

 nests are evidently near. 



Their battle-cry is a low, peculiar chirp, not very 

 fierce, but bantering and confident. They quickly 

 come to blows, but it is a very fantastic battle, and, 

 as it would seem, indulged in more to satisfy their 

 sense of honor than to hurt each other, for neither 

 party gets the better of the other, and they separate 

 a few paces and sing, and squeak, and challenge each 

 other in a very happy frame of mind. The gauntlet 

 is no sooner thrown down than it is again taken up 

 by one or the other, and in the course of fifteen or 

 twenty minutes they have three or four encounters, 

 separating a little, then provoked to return again 

 like two cocks, till finally they withdraw beyond 

 hearing of each other, — both, no doubt, claiming the 

 victory. But the secret of the nest is still kept. 

 Once I think I have it. I catch a glimpse of a bird 

 which looks like the female, and near by, in a small 

 hemlock about eight feet from the ground, my eye 

 detects a nest. But as I come up under it, I can 

 see daylight through it, and that it is empty, — evi- 

 dently only part finished, not lined or padded yet. 

 Now if the bird will only return and claim it, the 

 point will be gained. But we Avait and Avatch in 

 vain. The architect has knocked off to-day, and 

 we must come again, or continue our search. 



