84 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



other supported by the edge of the table, from which 

 the breakfast dishes had not yet been removed. The 

 board thus formed a bridge for the accommodation of the 

 bold pair. Up they marched, and, like the little foxes, 



" Very soon they were both at work, 

 Waiting neither for knife nor fork." 



Potatoes, crumbs of bread and scraps of meat vanished 

 quickly ; bones were dexterously picked, nothing seemed 

 to come amiss, and as soon as the feast was over away 

 flew the "whiskey jacks," back to the shelter of the 

 woods to preen their feathers as they sat on the grey 

 branch of an old oak tree that stretched its leafless arms 

 over the cold but still unfrozen waters of the river. 



" These birds are as full of frolic as little children," 

 said' our host ; " by and by they will be over again in 

 the back-yard picking up any bits they see and take a 

 fancy to, chasing any article that may be blowing about 

 in the wind and playing with it as any puppies would 

 do." 



While the birds had been enjoying their breakfast 

 on the table, I had been taking notice of their plumage. 

 It was of a dusky slate-grey, loosely set and hairy, the 

 neck and head a shade darker, with a dirty yellowish 

 white ring around the neck ; there was some white, too, 

 on the under part of the breast and tail. The latter was 

 long and kept in constant motion, the bird, as he 

 walked, flirting it up and down with a would-be careless 



