ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, WITH EXAMPLES 221) 



of great utility in protecting the young. I did not, on this 

 occasion, frighten her from her home. 



It was four days later when my final visit was made to the 

 goldfinch's nest. True to her instincts, she was harboring her 

 young, and after she had viewed me several minutes, she took 

 to her wings. On inspection of the nest's interior, four young 

 birds squirmed about, and soon raised their little awkward 

 heads, widely opening their vivid crimson mouths, presenting 

 a curious sight and reminding me of the mouths of certain 

 snakes. Is this color for protection? The unhatched egg, 

 previously menlioned in my last visit, was now hatched, the 

 young forming the fourth I was viewing. With this parting 

 glance I left the home of the goldfinch family, thoroughly 

 convinced that these birds have such human attributes as 

 loving disposition and faithfulness. 





Birds and Blue Racers 



Y an early hour one morning in July, I observed 

 a number of birds gathered' on a barb-wire fence 

 — ' at the side of the road. There were five of 

 these songsters grouped between the posts, somewhat as 

 follows: a brown thrasher about midway on the top wire, 

 a male orchard oriole and chipping sparrow on the second, 

 while on the third wire nearest the grovmd sat two excited 

 catliirds. From [he clucking sounds of Ihe catbirds and 

 intense stare into the long grass on the opposite side of the 

 fence, I surmised at once the object of this curious congrega- 

 tion of birds. Every action evidenced an excited interest in 

 some object located in the grass. As I walked quite near, the 

 brown thrasher flew away, soon followed by the oriole and chip- 

 ping sparrow. Finally, but reluctantly, the catbirds departed 



