A M ERIC A N ORNl THOL O G V. 



151 



the keenness of spring eyes. Suddenly, from above my head, comes 

 an eager, "There he is; there, there, there," and looking up I see my 

 friend the bluebird swaying excitedly upon a slender branch, again 

 almost within arm's length. Evidently he has followed me, either to 

 observe what I might discover, or to give assistance, as in this case. 

 But whether he wishes to call my 

 attention to the trout, or to the 

 stirring in the grass, or to some- 

 thing which I have not yet seen, is 

 uncertain, for he promptly flies to 

 another branch a little farther off, ^^,^^»^ 

 and continues to sway and sing, ^^J[-^^^:-^l 

 "There ^"^^ 



ally, pu-ri-ty, pu-ri-ty, I — oh, pu-ri-ty." 



I continue to watch the grass for son)etime, but there is no further 

 stirring. Probably the unknown animal has slipped into the brook and 

 is swimming beneath the surface. When I turn back to the bluebird 

 he is industriously pecking at a rough piece of bark. Presently he draws 

 out a long white grub which the sun has not yet awakened, and swal- 

 lows it. The grub is thus cut off from the great spring awakening, but 

 perhaps his loss is the bluebird's gain, and through the bluebird the 

 world's, who knows? 



