" UPON THE TREE-TOP:* 117 



I sprang to the window. It was five o'clock, 

 and of course perfectly light, and there sat the 

 marauder in plain sight on an apple-tree in the 

 orchard, a thing the wary bird never did after 

 getting-up time. The oriole was there also, 

 uttering his war cry ; and hidden from them by 

 the blinds I had a perfect opportunity to see 

 his method of attack. I have never seen the 

 kingbird annoy a crow except when flying : 

 while the crow is at rest, the kingbird also re- 

 mains quiet, at some little distance. Not so my 

 brave oriole ; he harassed that crow constantly, 

 alighting not more than two feet from him, and 

 at his own level, so that I was surprised the 

 crow did not seize him, for I am sure he was 

 easily within reach. The oriole called and 

 bowed, turned this way and that, holding his 

 wings a little out and fluttering them, and then 

 he flew over and pecked at the crow as he 

 went, alighting on the other side ; then, in a 

 moment, after more posturing and calling, re- 

 turned in the same way. So he kept up the 

 warfare, while the crow continued his cawing, 

 being answered from the next lot, but made no 

 attempt to put an end to the attacks. Fully 

 five minutes he sat there, though it was mani- 

 festly not comfortable, for he lowered his head 

 to avoid the beak of his tormentor, and once or 

 twice turned and seemed to snap at him. 



