THE BIRD IN THE HAND. 189 



to the dismay of his mamma, who followed him 

 closely all the way. 



This was our opportunity, the moment we 

 had waited for ; we must see that disputed baby ! 



My comrade dropped everything and ran to 

 the spot. A moment's scrambling about on the 

 ground, a few careful "grabs" among the dead 

 leaves, and she held the exhausted little fellow 

 in her hand. He was not frightened ; but his 

 mother was greatly disturbed at first. We were 

 too interested in this case to heed her, and in- 

 deed after a moment's demonstration she flew 

 away and left him in our hands. 



We examined him minutely, and I noted his 

 markings on the spot. There was no doubt 

 about his being a redstart baby, as I had been 

 convinced from the first. When we had settled 

 this, the little one was placed on a branch, where 

 he remained quite calmly, and we left him to 

 his two attendants. 



The next morning we found the mother still 

 hard at work in the same part of the woods (we 

 knew her by some feathers she had lost from her 

 breast), but the gallant little warbler was no- 

 where to be seen. 



