122 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



I looked belligerent, but followed her from limb 

 to limb to be near if we should attack her. It 

 was evident that he did not sympathize with her 

 fears, as he neither cried out nor jerked his tail ; 

 and after he had chased her patiently all over the 

 branches, from one tree to another, and through 

 the bushes, at last he turned toward her on a 

 branch and looked at her as much as to say, 



" Oh ! you tiresome creature ; why will you be 

 so absurd ? Don't you see they 're not going to 

 hurt you?" 



His contempt had no effect, however, and he 

 opened his mouth at her ! This threat of conju- 

 gal authority subdued her, and at last she meekly 

 flew off into the woods with him. But, like some 

 other good wives, she had her way in the end, 

 and though she followed Mr. Indigo back there 

 several times to look for " empty lots," two or 

 three more scares determined her, and the nest 

 was built elsewhere ! 



XXXIV. 



PURPLE FINCH. 



THE purple finch is about the size of his cousin 

 the song sparrow. He is as fond of singing in a 

 maple or an evergreen as chippy is of trilling on 

 the lawn, and the result is much more satisfac- 

 tory, although he does not sing as well as the song 

 sparrow. 



