THE MADDENING CHAT. 49 



of that remarkable voice would have been mad- 

 dening indeed, if I could not have known to 

 whom it belonged. 



After several days of untiring observation I 

 had but two glimpses to record. On one occa- 

 sion a chat alighted on the top sprig of the fate- 

 ful shrub, as if going to the nest, but almost on 

 the instant vanished. The same day, a little 

 later, one of these birds flitted into my view, 

 without a sound. So perfectly silent were his 

 movements that I should not have seen him if 

 he had not come directly before my eyes. He, 

 or she, for the pair are alike, alighted in a low 

 bush and scrambled about as if in search of in- 

 sects, climbing, not hopping. He stayed but a 

 few seconds and departed like a shadow, as he 

 had come. 



On the tenth day after my discovery of the 

 nest with its trio of eggs I went out as usual, 

 for I could not abandon hope. In passing the 

 nest I glanced in and saw one egg ; I could 

 never see but one as I went by, but, not liking 

 to go too near, I presumed that the other two 

 were there, as I had always found them, and 

 slipped quietly into my usual place. 



In a few moments the chat shouted a call so 

 near that it fairly startled me. From that he 

 went on to make his ordinary protest, but, as 

 happened nearly every time, I was not able to 



