72 WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



song thrushes in front of me. My surprise was 

 so complete that during his first visit I utterly 

 forgot to use the camera. This neglect on my 

 part proved of little consequence, however, for 

 he afterwards gave me plenty of opportunities 

 of exercising my skill. His assiduity knew no 

 bounds, and the comical way in which he cocked 

 his little head on one side and gazed at the open- 

 mouthed recipients of his charity was an ornitho- 

 logical treat such as I may never enjoy again. 



Once, when he arrived with food and alighted 

 on a hazel twig growing immediately over the nest, 

 the female song thrush happened to be at home, 

 and there was an exchange of looks. By one of 

 those aggravating mischances, unfortunately not 

 uncommon in the experience of the naturalist 

 photographer, I missed a wonderful picture of 

 avian expression. From whatever impulse the 

 generous action of the robin sprang, the owner 

 o.f the nest made it unmistakably plain that 

 his assistance was not appreciated by her, at 

 any rate. Redbreast did not stay to argue, 

 but discreetly retired into the wood beyond, 

 and waited until the back of the mavis had 

 been turned in search of more victuals, when 

 he promptly re-appeared upon the scene and 

 opened the floodgates of his charity more 

 widely than ever. He brought food at such an 

 astonishing rate that when the thrush came back 



