141 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



over the wealth of crimson bloom, and witnessed, I am 

 Borrj to admit, not only remarkable exhibitions of flight- 

 power, bnt some of the fiercest battles ever fought by 

 birds. 



Perhaps no one of our birds, not even the wren, is 

 more ready to enter into a fight, has uniformly more 

 courage, and, when worsted in combat, yields more re- 

 luctantly. Quite recently, I was forcibly impressed with 

 the fact of their fiery tempers, by chancing to witness a 

 free fight between three of these birds, that happened 

 to meet near the old trumpet-creepers. The day was 

 absolutely perfect ; warm, without being oppressive ; 

 sunny, yet without too great a glare; with bees and but- 

 terflies all astir, and tireless locusts "z — ing" in all the 

 tall trees near by. The swallows were abroad in unusual 

 numbers ; the wood-thrushes sang in the shady covers ; 

 the noisy crows were cawing ceaselessly. In truth, noth- 

 ing was wanting to induce one to take a good long walk. 

 Realizing this, I wandered as far as the old garden, and, 

 fashioning a soft cushion of the rank ribbon-grass, sat 

 down to watch the restless ruby-throats that were busy 

 among the blossoms. 



There were but three of them when I reached the 

 spot, and for a few minutes all went well ; but very soon 

 it became evident that each considered the others as in- 

 truders, and when by chance two visited adjoining flow- 

 ers or crossed each other's paths in their short flights, an 

 ominous buzzing, and at times a sharp squeal, suggested 

 " bad blood." I left my place and drew nearer, that I 

 might see the proceedings more distinctly, and it proved 

 a lucky thought to do so. No sooner was I re-seated in 



