136 OUR FRIENDS, THE BIRDS. 
Twitches and scouts by turns, blessing his luck, 
Yet fearing me who laid it in his way, 
Nor, more than wiser we in our affairs, 
Divines the providence that hides and helps. 
Hleave, ho! Heave, ho! he whistles as the twine 
Slackens its hold; once more, now! and a flash 
Lightens across the sunlight to theelm 
Where his mate dangles at her cup of felt. 
Nor all his booty is the thread; he trails 
My loosened thought with it along the air, 
And I must follow, would I ever find 
The inward rhyme to all this wealth of life. 
QUESTIONS. 
Who are the Oriole’s enemies ? 
What material does he use in building ? 
Is the female as brilliant in color as the male? 
How long does the Oriole sing? 
What is his food and how does he get it? 
Does he prefer-to build near dwellings or in the 
wood ? 
Does he build the same kind of nest in all situ- 
ations ? 
Have you read anything about the Oriole by John 
Burroughs? : 
