BIRD PARADISE 49 



merriest kind of fun ; then he would patrol the 

 limbs, far out to the small twigs, and I half fan- 

 cied that his manner said several times, " Didn't 

 I do that well?" The robins and blackbirds 

 were not at all pleased with the fellow's opera- 

 tions. They looked him over several times and 

 sat as near to him as they dared, but did not ven- 

 ture to interfere with any of his plans. I rather 

 enjoy seeing both the blackbird and robin non- 

 plussed now and then. I don't know that they 

 learn anything by it, but there is a sort of " quid- 

 pro-quo " in the stroke that looks wholesome. I 

 noticed that the woodpecker paid no attention to 

 any of the spectators, but kept strictly to his own 

 business, though I have not been able, as yet, to 

 find out just what that was. 



The first accents of the morning song of the 

 birds are now heard about half-past three. 

 "Early to bed and early to rise" is the reading 

 of the entire bird record. The robins seem to be 

 the pioneers in the great waking up. What an 

 awakening it is and what a song follows ! All 

 along the line of longitude flashes the first rays of 

 light. The choir seems to be waiting for them. 

 Prom among the apple blossoms of my orchard 



