238 ORIOLE INCOMPATIBILITY. 



he alighted on the other foot, holding this one 

 up. After a few days I noticed him using his 

 foot again ; there was a hind toe all well, and 

 the disabled one above the new one, quite out 

 of harm's way. It looked as if it were going to 

 fall off, and I did not know but the universal 

 Mother had provided a new toe ; but on close 

 examination I found that one of the three front 

 toes had turned back to take the place of the 

 useless member. Thus relieved, it became well, 

 the front toe returned to its proper place, and 

 the bird was all right again. 



Now spring came on, and the oriole began to 

 sing, strange, half-choking sounds at first, inter- 

 spersed with his harshest notes, as if he were 

 forced to sing by the season, but was resolved 

 that no one should enjoy it as music, and so 

 spoiled it by these interpolations. I found after- 

 wards, however, on Studying his wild relatives, 

 that this is their customary way of singing. Now, 

 too, queer little spots began to appear in his 

 plumage, dots of bright reddish chestnut, first 

 on one side of the breast, then about the tail 

 coverts, till after a month he looked like patch- 

 work of the "crazy" sort. All this time his 

 song was gaining in strength and volume, till 

 by the first of May he could outsing any bird in 

 the room. 



To outdo in some way was his delight, and he 



