BIRD PARADISE 19 



I conclude from his actions that he has been 

 seriously disturbed in his native haunts, or he 

 would not be seen so far from home. An event 

 of my boyhood reads : " To-day, in the old cedar 

 swamp, I came upon a family of partridges that 

 were only a few days from the nest. There was a 

 commotion in the camp, and in less than a min- 

 ute the young fellows all disappeared among the 

 leaves. With the help of my spaniel dog I found 

 them all — fifteen in number. After a few minutes 

 I gave them their freedom again, greatly to the 

 delight of the parent birds." 



A pair of bluebirds spent a good part of a day 

 investigating a cavity in one of my apple trees 

 this week. They went in and out, talked the 

 matter over, apparently a dozen times, and I 

 suppose reached the conclusion that the place 

 was not suited for their purpose, as I have seen 

 nothing of them since. The gentility of good 

 breeding appears in all that the bluebird says 

 and does. I never have known him to speak 

 harshly or behave unkindly. If other birds take 

 his coat he is pretty certain to let them have his 

 cloak also. His song is always keyed to a gentle 

 quaver that overflows with peace and good will. 



