A TINY AUTOCRAT 111 



Nor do these small helpers lack spirit, tiny 

 though they are. I know of one, a captive 

 in the room with several birds of much larger 

 size, who simply made himself autocrat of 

 the party. He took possession of the biggest 

 bathing-dish, selected for his own the most 

 desirable food -cup, and drove away any 

 thrush, catbird, or robin who presumed to 

 dispute his claims. He was a black-poll war- 

 bler, not much longer than one's thumb. 



In August, what with the plumage of the 

 young and the moulting of the old birds, 

 the student who persists in his attentions to 

 these fairy-like creatures may expect to go 

 mad. The young are queer, the elders like 

 bundles of rags, and the variety of plumage 

 resulting is bewildering in the extreme. 

 Moreover, the birds do not act like them- 

 selves, and they seem to have totally lost 

 their cheery voices. It is safest to abandon 

 the pursuit until they have all settled the 

 question of costume. 



When the month is over, when 



" September brings the goldenrod, 

 And maples burn like fire," 



the woods are still beautiful, but the summer 



