A BUMPTIOUS FELLOW 181 



gether flattering, though I felt that I de- 

 served well of him, for if I did spy upon 

 him, I never intruded beyond my bounds. 

 The window-sill was my limit, and how much 

 farther my glass took me it is not to be sup- 

 posed he knew. He was always as full of 

 talk as if he had not opened his mouth be- 

 fore I came to furnish an audience. 



The least flycatcher is the most " bump- 

 tious " bird I know. Not only does he de- 

 mand a whole tree, sometimes more than 

 one, to himself, a claim absurd for such 

 a little fellow, but he will scarcely allow 

 another bird in his neighborhood. My small 

 friend in brown was a fair representative of 

 his family. If a bluebird came with his sweet 

 call to the maple, instantly chebec precipi- 

 tated himself upon him with savage cries, 

 crest erect, as fierce as if the lovely blue 

 visitor were a hawk. He was far more self- 

 assertive than any of his relations whom I 

 know. No kingbird, notwithstanding his 

 belligerent reputation, can compare in this 

 quality with the insignificant midget no big- 

 ger than my thumb called the least fly- 

 catcher. 



