SMALL BIRD TALK 513 



to make a fisherman's nerves tingle, for he knows 

 that the hidden force which causes the commotion 

 is the broad tail of the big fish; but each time be- 

 fore the fish would strike the hook I quickly 

 whipped the line away. 



It was not because I did not want the fish. Ah, 

 no! that fish was the thing I was after and the 

 blank countenance of an empty frying-pan was 

 ever before my mind protesting my action, but I 

 snatched away my line 



TO SAVE THE KING AND HIS ROYAL CONSORT. 



It may be that to this hour there are two birds 

 and one or more big bass puzzling their rudi- 

 mentary minds in vain efforts to account for the 

 nimbleness of the brilliant insects which visited the 

 cove with such regularity, and with equal regular- 

 ity escaped capture, in spite of the best laid plans 

 of bird and fish. 



In due course of time, the little globular treasures 

 of the nest cracked and came apart disclosing four 

 as comical, 



PINK, SKINNY YOUNGSTERS 



as ever cracked an egg-shell or wore a downy top- 

 knot. 



If approached silently, an inspection of the nest 

 would disclose nothing to the first glance, but 

 closer observation would reveal a flesh-colored or 

 pink mass at the bottom of the cup which seemed 

 to be covered with a luxuriant growth of gray mil- 



