86 "TRICKS AND MANNERS" OF A CAT-BIRD. 



succeeded in convincing his tormentor that the 

 top of his house was not a public highway. 



Worse than all his other misdeeds, however, 

 was a deliberate insult he paid to the cardinal's 

 singing. This ardent musician was one day sit- 

 ting down 011 his perch, as he is fond of doing, 

 and singing away for dear life, when the cat- 

 bird alighted on the window-sash, close by the 

 cage. The singer kept his eye on him, but 

 proceeded with the music till the end of the 

 strain, when, as usual, he paused. At that in- 

 stant the cat-bird gave his tail one upward 

 jerk, as if to say, " Humph ! " I noticed the 

 insulting air, but I was surprised to see that the 

 cardinal appreciated it, also. He began again 

 at once, in much louder tone, rising to his feet, 

 which he rarely does, lifting his crest, 

 swaying back and forth in a perfect rage, glar- 

 ing at his enemy, and pouring out his usual 

 song in such a flood of shrieks and calls that 

 even the calm cat-bird was disturbed, and dis- 

 creetly retired to the opposite window. Then 

 the cardinal seated himself again, and stopped 

 his song, but gave vent to his indignation in a 

 most energetic series of sharp " tsips " for a 

 long time. 



Quite different is the cat-bird's treatment of 

 two English goldfinches. On them he plays 

 jokes, and his mischievous delight and his 



