240 ORIOLE INCOMPATIBILITY. 



darkest corner of the upper perch away from 

 the window, shook himself out, and considered 

 the matter decided. The meek little new-comer 

 did not aspire to his corner, but she ardently 

 desired a place on that farther perch, and after 

 he became quiet she resolved to try for it. Too 

 modest to approach it in the natural way, from 

 the lower perches, she scrambled up the wires of 

 the cage, and shyly came on from the back. The 

 autocrat was not asleep, and the instant her foot 

 touched it he bounced across the cage to the 

 other upper perch. He evidently expected that 

 she would be put to shame in her surreptitious 

 attempt to share his perch, and would at once 

 retire to her proper sphere ; but he was mistaken. 

 So far from being embarrassed by his displeas- 

 ure, she calmly accepted the relinquished posi- 

 tion, and prepared for sleep. This was far from 

 satisfactory to his majesty, and he jumped back 

 as suddenly as he had gone ; whereupon madam 

 dropped to the floor. But, with true oriole per- 

 sistence, in a moment she tried it again, going as 

 before up the wires. Again the annoyed oriole 

 deserted his post, and, disappointed in the effect, 

 returned; once more, also, rather disconcerted, 

 she descended to the floor. Not to stay, how- 

 ever. She was as set in her way as he was, and 

 to sleep in that corner was her determination. 

 This curious seesaw performance was reenacted 



