HUM, THE SON OF BUZ. 73 



was sugary, by settling < on his wings and tail ; when he 

 would lay about him spitefully, wielding his bill like a 

 sword. A grasshopper that strayed in, and was sunning 

 himself on the window-seat, gave him great discomposure. 

 Hum evidently considered him an intruder, and seemed to 

 long to make a dive at him ; but, with characteristic pru- 

 dence, confined himself to threatening movements, which 

 did not exactly hit. He saw evidently that he could not 

 swallow him whole, and what might ensue from trying 

 him piecemeal he wisely forbore to essay. 



Hum had his own favorite places and perches. From 

 the first day he chose for his nightly roost a towel-line 

 which had been drawn across the corner over the wash- 

 stand, where he every night established himself with one 

 claw in the edge of the towel and the other clasping the 

 line, and, ruffling up his feathers till he looked like a little 

 chestnut-burr, he would resign himself to the soundest sleep. 

 He did not tuck his head under his wing, but seemed to 

 sink it down between his shoulders, with his bill almost 

 straight up in the air. One evening one of us, going to 

 use the towel, jarred the line, and soon after found that 

 Hum had been thrown from his perch, and was hanging 

 head downward, fast asleep, still clinging to the line. An- 

 other evening, being discomposed by somebody coming to 

 the towel-line after he had settled himself, he fluttered off; 

 but so sleepy that he had not discretion to poise himself 



