THE WOOD-WEEN 33 



the ford, was sitting on the grass by the stream. 

 Presently the new-comer took something from 

 a pouch that dangled by his side, and placed it 

 to his eyes. The warbler, alarmed, noticed that 

 the dark instrument was turned towards him, and 

 immediately dived to the shelter of the under- 

 growth. Thence he flew to the arching spray of 

 the rose bush that screened his nest, and, greatly 

 excited, trilled a loud strain, apparently a song, 

 but in reality a succession of decoy notes : 

 chit-chit-chunrn ! chit-chit-chunn ! churn-chit 

 chit-chit-chit! The intruder approached nearer 

 and nearer to the nest, till he almost stepped 

 on its mossy dome. The hen-bird, panic- 

 stricken, flitted up on the off-side of the broom, 

 but her exit was evidently noticed, for the in- 

 truder at once began to search leisurely in the 

 grass. Still the loud decoy rattle continued. 

 The cock was low down beneath the rose-tree, 

 in a tremor of excited concern for the success 

 of his ruse, when, to the birds' unfeigned delight, 

 the dreaded disturber passed down the path, and 

 sauntered along the river front, followed craftily 

 by the anxious pair. The hen-bird was silent 

 till her mate, thinking that his efforts to mislead 

 had so far met with successful results, gave her a 

 signal, which she answered by a chun-r-r, 

 pitched in a lower key than that of her partner's 

 music ; she then returned secretly to the nest. 



