OVEN-BIRD INTELLIGENCE 33 



ever, of undertaking the hopeless task of 

 hunting for it ; but one day, when I hap- 

 pened upon one of the birds with worms in 

 her mouth, prepared to feed her brood, I was 

 seized with the hope that she would be sim- 

 ple enough to point it out to me, and at 

 once devoted my whole attention to watching 

 her movements. Her tactics were admirable. 

 When she first saw me she stood on a low 

 bush and stared at me, head-feathers erected 

 like a crest, showing plainly the golden crown 

 that gives the name, " golden-crowned war- 

 bler," and uttering her curious " smack." In 

 a few minutes she was joined by her mate, 

 also with a mouthful of squirming provisions. 

 For some time the pair stood still, doubt- 

 less waiting for me to pass on ; but finding 

 that I did not leave, they grew impatient 

 and began moving about. The female would 

 go to the ground with an air of the greatest 

 caution, run about among the leaves and 

 fallen sticks as if she had important busi- 

 ness, every moment glancing at me, till she 

 came to a slight ridge of earth, or a small 

 rock or log, behind which she would straight- 

 way vanish. In vain did I watch intently for 



