BIRD LIFE IN AN OLD APPLE-TREE 277 



came up out of the dark depths of the limb, 

 much like that made by an alarmed cat. It 

 made me jerk my head back, when out came 

 the bird and hurried off. 



For several days I saw no more of the pair, 

 and feared they had deserted the spot. But 

 they had not; they were only more sly than 

 usual. I soon discovered an egg in the nest, 

 and then another and another. 



One day, as I stood near by, a male bluebird 

 came along with his mate, prospecting for a spot 

 for a second nest. He alighted at the entrance 

 of this hole and peeped in. 



Instantly the flycatcher was upon him. The 

 blue was enveloped by the butternut brown. 

 The two fell to the ground, where the bluebird 

 got away, and in a moment more came back and 

 looked in the hole again, as much as to say, " I 

 will look into that hole now at all hazards." 



The barbarian made a dash for him again, 

 but he was now on his guard and avoided her. 



Not long after, the bluebirds decided to oc- 

 cupy the old cavity of the downy woodpecker 

 from which I had earlier in the season expelled 

 the English sparrows. After they had estab- 

 lished themselves here a kind of border war 

 broke out between the male bluebird and the 

 flycatchers, and was kept up for weeks. 



The bluebird is very jealous and very bold. 

 He will not even tolerate a house- wren in the 

 vicinity of his nest. Every bird that builds in 

 a cavity he looks upon as his natural rival and 

 enemy. The flycatchers did not seek any quar- 



