CROW BLACKBIRD. 25 



the conflict as suddenly as they came, a few only 

 remaining to arbitrate matters. 



" The path from the house to the road divides 

 the yard into equal parts. It was agreed that in 

 future the blackbirds should keep on the north 

 side, and the robins on the south side of this path. 

 Peace and quiet reigned the rest of the day, all 

 parties being too exhausted to resume the struggle 

 even if they had not been in honor bound to re- 

 spect the treaty. But do not fancy that the feud 

 was forgotten. By no means. The sleek black- 

 coated, dapper young gentleman, conscious of hav- 

 ing won the victory, inasmuch as he had not been 

 dislodged from his position, allowed no oppor- 

 tunity to pass in which he might show his con- 

 tempt for or exult over his plainly-dressed and 

 comparatively inelegant neighbors. 



" When the nest-building commenced, our gay 

 chevalier complacently permitted his meek little 

 wife to perform the main part of the labor, while 

 he would perch himself on a limb as near the di- 

 viding line as possible and taunt or ridicule his 

 opponents, whom family cares alone prevented 

 from reciprocating the compliments the will 

 and desire were strong enough. Sometimes he 

 would examine the nest to see how the work pro- 

 gressed, and occasionally he condescended to pick 

 up a straw and fly with it to a tree near by, and 

 sit there with it in his mouth with a wonderfully 

 self-satisfied air, yet never offering it to his mate. 



