92 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



a big crow being forced to flee before the attacks of small 

 birds. Even the hen-hawk or harrier has been driven 

 away by the united attacks of apparently insignificant 

 but determined parties of two, three or four brave little 

 creatures, whose plan was simply to keep above the head 

 of their enemy, and out of his reach after striking their 

 blows. 



The swallow and martin are renowned for these feats 

 of bravery. They are always victors, and might be 

 crowned as champions of the helpless little song-birds 

 who so often fall victims to the crow, the king bird and 

 the hawk. 



THE BOHEMIAN WAX-WING. 



Another noisy crew are those pretty, wild pilferers of 

 the garden and orchards, the cedar birds, or cherry 

 birds, and names common to the smaller species of 

 Ampelidce, or Wax-wings. 



The larger, handsomer and more remarkable of the 

 family is known as the Bohemian Wax- wing, or A mpelis 

 garrulus, and he is indeed a noisy, chattering fellow. 

 These are not so common as the smaller cedar birds, but 

 they occasionally visit us in large parties, and doubtless 

 receive scant welcome from the market gardener, who 

 does not approve of their brigandish assaults on his 

 ripening cherries and other fruits. We, however, are 

 more tolerant, and overlook their predatory habits in 

 our amusement at their wild merry ways. 



