82 IN THE NEW HOUSE. 



ing over, since he readily settled himself on the 

 middle perch, where he made a most elaborate 

 and deliberate toilet, dressing every feather 

 with care, and spending a half hour over the 

 operation. All this time the invader stood on 

 the top perch, backed against the wires, his 

 long tail on one side like the train of a lady's 

 dress, invincible determination in his manner. 

 The calm indifference of the house-owner evi- 

 dently did not please him, and the long drawn- 

 out toilet was irritating ; he grew thirsty, and 

 dropped to the floor to drink, when the thrush 

 remonstrated by a low, rapid "chook, chook, 

 chook," and the mocking-bird made an impa- 

 tient dive at him. This silenced but apparent- 

 ly did not hurt the bird, who stayed as long as 

 he chose, and then quietly came out. From 

 that moment the usurper claimed the cage, 

 and the amiable owner easily contented himself 

 with the one the other had deserted. 



When the mocking-bird had thoroughly es- 

 tablished himself in every right and privilege 

 he chose to consider his own, I hoped there 

 would be peace, but I had not sounded the 

 depths in his character; he began to tease. 

 Not content with complete victory, life seemed 

 dull without some object to worry. I really 

 think it was his amusement ; he certainly went 

 at it as if it were. I noticed him one morning, 



