DECEIVING WILD CREATURES. 25 



The female returned directly, and stood on a 

 stone curtseying, whilst she made a careful 

 survey of the obstruction. Before she had time, 

 however, to formulate a plan of attack upon my 

 barricade, her mate arrived with a supply of food, 

 and there was enacted one of the prettiest scenes 

 of feathered domestic felicity I ever had the good 

 fortune to behold. 



The breadwinner of the family passed his 

 dietary tit-bits over, one by one, to his mate 

 with the most delicate solicitude imaginable. 

 At first she held the food in her bill as if desirous 

 of saving it for her chicks, but changing her mind 

 presently, swallowed the whole collection of insects, 

 and twittered her thanks in low sweet notes as 

 each additional morsel was consumed. When the 

 last insect had been swallowed she opened her 

 mouth as if in dumb request of more, but it was 

 only a sign of overflowing affection, which the 

 male understood and appreciated, for, putting 

 his bill between her mandibles, they sweethearted 

 in the most touchingly tender manner several 

 seconds on end. 



As soon as the cock had taken his departure 

 on another foraging expedition, the hen turned 

 her attention to what she no doubt regarded as 

 the unwarrantable liberty taken with her home. 

 She examined the obstruction which filled the 

 entrance hole from above and below, right and 



