I AM INTERVIEWED. 255 



distance and resumed his brilliant musical per- 

 formance, I did not turn my head at his beguile- 

 ments. She was the business partner of the firm 

 whose movements I wished to follow. She must, 

 sooner or later, go to her nest, while he might 

 deceive me for days. Indeed, I strongly sus- 

 pected him of that very thing, and whenever he 

 became bolder in approaching, or louder and 

 more vociferous of tongue, I was convinced that 

 it was to cover her operations. I redoubled my 

 vigilance in watching for her, keeping my eyes 

 open for any slight stirring of a twig, tremble of 

 a leaf, or quick shadow near the ground that 

 should point her out as she skulked to her nest. 

 I had already observed that whenever she uttered 

 her squawks he instantly burst into energetic 

 shouts and calls. I believed it a concerted ac- 

 tion, with the intent of drawing my attention 

 from her movements. 



On this day the disturbed little mother her- 

 self interviewed me. First she came silently 

 under the green canopy, in plain sight, stood a 

 moment before me, jerking up her beautiful long 

 tail and letting it drop slowly back, and posing 

 her mobile body in different positions ; then sud- 

 denly flying close past me, she alighted on one 

 side, and stared at me for half a dozen seconds. 

 Then, evidently, she resolved to take me in hand. 

 She assumed the role of deceiver, with all the 



