142 IN THE MIDDLE COUNTRY. 



* 

 him sitting with all the dignity of a young jay 



(old jays have no dignity). While he was wrest- 

 ling with fate and his life was in the balance, the 

 parents had kept near him and perfectly silent, 

 unless some one came near, when they filled the 

 air with squawks, and appeared so savage that 

 I honestly believe they would have attacked any 

 one who had tried to lend a hand. 



But still the little blue-coat had not learned 

 sufficient modesty of endeavor, for the next 

 morning he found himself again in the grass. 

 He tried climbing, but unfortunately selected a 

 tree with branches higher than he could hold 

 out to reach ; so he fell back to the ground. 

 Then came the inexorable demands of breakfast, 

 with which no one who has been up since four 

 o'clock will decline to comply. On my return, 

 the straggler was mounted on a post that held a 

 tennis net, three or four feet from the ground. 

 One of the old birds was on the rope close by 

 him, and there I left them. Once more I saw 

 him fall, but I concluded that since he had 

 learned to climb, and the parents would not ac- 

 cept my assistance any way, he must take care of 

 himself. I suppose he was the youngest of the 

 brood, who could not help imitating his elders, 

 but was not strong enough to do as they did. 

 On the following day he was able to keep his 

 place, and he came to the ground no more. 



