226 TEE PROBLEM OF THE GLASS. 



they learn the nature of glass. The tanager 

 learned his lesson more quickly. He fell to the 

 floor at first, from the shock, but in a few 

 moments recovered himself and returned, this 

 time alighting on the top of the lower sash and 

 proceeding to examine the strange substance 

 through which he could see, but could not go. 

 He gently tapped the glass with his beak the 

 whole length of the window, passing back and 

 forth several times till satisfied. Turning at 

 last from that, he cast his eye around for an- 

 other exit, and settled on the white ceiling as 

 the most likely place. Then he flew all about 

 the room close to the ceiling, touched it now 

 and then with his beak, and finding it also im- 

 passable, he came down to the window again. 

 He had not the least curiosity about the room, 

 and was not at all afraid of me. The world 

 outside the windows and his cage when he was 

 hungry, were all that he cared for at present 

 except the bath. 



The goldfinch was bathing the second time 

 he came out, and he went directly to the table 

 and perched on the side of the dish. Now the 

 one thing the little fellow most delighted in was 

 his morning bath, and he at once resented the 

 intrusion of the stranger. He flew at him with 

 open beak and lifted wings, scolding vigorously, 

 in fact gave him so hostile a reception that he 



