80 THE CITY OF THE BIRDS. 



and discreet mother, she gave me to understand 

 was, to her, the dearest of all places in the world. 

 At the proper moment, she disappeared among 

 the leaves, and, no doubt, when she was at a safe 

 distance and saw me pushing aside the branches 

 and searching for her nest, she laughed in her 

 wing, or in some other bird way, at the success of 

 her counterfeit presentment. 



The other actress was in the meadow, where it 

 was probable I passed quite near her nest. At 

 first she flew overhead, as the redwings do when- 

 ever their homes are approached, evidently much 

 distressed, and sounded notes similar to those 

 birds. Then she alighted on the ground, quite 

 near, and pretended to be busy with the grass 

 heads, but always keeping a sharp lookout for her 

 interviewer. She soon wearied of this kind of 

 by-play, however, when she saw how well it was 

 received, and, as if she had just thought of a more 

 effective ruse, she suddenly lifted herself on her 

 wings and flew far away over the waving daisy 

 and buttercup heads, out of sight. Doubtless she 

 came back again, in five minutes, and said to 

 herself, " There are some things even too cute for 

 these humans." 



It would be curious to know if these birds 

 would have acted in just this way if a crow, jay 

 or other low-nest robber had been in my place. 

 Or did they consider the greater intelligence of 



