206 TWO LITTLE DRUMMERS. 



in a lively mood, eagerly discussing in garrulous 

 tones their own private affairs, or chasing each 

 other with droll, taunting cries, some of which 

 resembled the boy's yell, "oy-ee," but others 

 defied description. During courtship, observes 

 Dr. Merriam, they are inexpressibly comical, 

 with queer rollicking ways and eccentric pranks, 

 making the woods ring with their extraordinary 

 voices. At this time, early in June, the season 

 of woodpecker wooing was past. Each little 

 couple had built a castle in the air, and set up 

 a household of its own, somewhere in the woods 

 surrounding the house. 



The two storehouses on the lawn seemed to 

 belong to one family, whose labor alone had pre- 

 pared them; certainly they were the property 

 of the sapsuckers. But the bird world, like the 

 human, has its spoilers. A frequent visitor to 

 the elm, on poaching bent, was a humming-bird, 

 who treated the beguiling cups like so many 

 flowers, hovering lightly before them, and testing 

 one after another in regular order. The owner 

 naturally objected, and if present flew at the 

 dainty robber; but the elusive birdling simply 

 moved to another place, not in the least awed by 

 his comparatively clumsy assailant. Large flies, 

 perhaps bees also, buzzed around the tempting 

 bait, and doubtless many paid with their lives 

 for their folly. 



