70 IN THE CAT-BIRD'S NOOK. 



No words can express contempt or a shrug of 

 the shoulder better than a certain upward, side- 

 ways jerk of the tail and saucy twitch of the 

 body which he will give to signify his opinion 

 of the song of some other bird ; wide-awake 

 interest is never more clearly displayed than by 

 the jerks of body and rustling switches of the 

 tail with which he contemplates a strange sight. 

 He is alive to the tips of his toes, every move- 

 ment is so alert, so unexpected ; he will start off 

 as if intending to fly a mile, and bring up on 

 the next twig, a foot away ; standing quietly on 

 a branch as though settled for life, suddenly, 

 like a flash, he will slip off the other side, and 

 dive after a berry or a worm his sharp eyes 

 have seen. 



I had a great desire to find a nest, so when I 

 saw a cat-bird go several times in one direction, 

 worm in mouth, I watched closely. The bird 

 hopped all around the bush, eying me sharply, 

 and at last jumped upon the lowest branch, 

 gave me one last glance, slipped to the ground 

 on the other side, and returned in a moment 

 without the worm. 



" Now," I said, exultingly " now I have 

 you!" 



Carefully I crept up and parted the branches, 

 while the disturbed bird hopped from twig to 

 twig, saying " Quit ! quit ! " I looked in, 



