24 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



" In the mean time the robins had been watch- 

 ing these unusual proceedings with much anxiety 

 and uneasiness ; apparently not well pleased and 

 not a little alarmed that their hereditary foes 

 should presume to invade their domains and be- 

 come domiciled in such close proximity to their 

 own residence. But they made no hostile demon- 

 strations that day, waiting to see the turn of af- 

 fairs, and, as the sequel shows, to gain time to 

 summon the assistance of friends. Early the next 

 morning they resolved to eject the new-comers 

 from the premises. 



" Then occurred the most remarkable scene I 

 ever witnessed. At the loud cries of the combat- 

 ants an immense number of birds of both kinds 

 came flocking from all quarters to the scene of 

 action, as if they had been expecting the affray. 

 They attacked each other with great ferocity and 

 fought pluckily with bills and feet amid loud 

 cries of anger and derision. Feathers flew. The 

 wounded would fly away to a neighboring tree to 

 nurse their hurts for a moment, when, still smart- 

 ing with pain, back they would come to fight with 

 redoubled fury. The shrieks and cries increased 

 till it seemed a veritable pandemonium. Every 

 robin and blackbird within the radius of a mile 

 must have been present, either as spectator or par- 

 ticipant in the strife. After a time, finding that 

 both parties were equally brave, and that neither 

 would yield, they with one accord withdrew from 



