258 DAYS OUT OF DOORS. 



cane ; and in fact they usually do so ; but when to watch 

 other birds I have been lying beneath the tree where its 

 limbs nearly touch the ground, they have come as near as 

 possible, without leaving the tree's trunk, around which 

 they ran. Often I have tried to catch with my hands the 

 brown tree-creeper, but it always kept just out of reach. 

 Unless I was too demonstrative, it would seldom fly. The 

 creeping warbler is not quite so tame, yet I have many 

 times marveled at its fearlessness ; particularly during cool 

 October days, when it seemed more intent upon food- 

 gathering than its personal safety. 



A circumstance, itself of little moment, held me, not 

 long since, until a one-act comedy was performed. My 

 readers will agree that one spectator was enough. For 

 some time I had been gazing skyward from the ground 

 beneath an oak. Its widespread, labyrinthine top was 

 silent for a time, and if I did not fall quite asleep, I at 

 least had but a confused idea of my whereabouts, and the 

 dropping of an acorn, falling very near my head, did not 

 arouse me ; but soon another and another came in quick 

 succession, and I was at last aware of being in the line of 

 some busy squirrel, or jay, perhaps, overhead. I could not 

 see the acorn-plucking creature, and somewhat curious 

 about it, awaited developments with my eyes widely open. 

 Presently a flock of noisy robins came from behind me, 

 and alighting in the oak I forgot the dropping acorns as 

 I listened to them. Then I heard, but could not see, a 

 flock of redwings that came from over the creek and 

 rested in the same old oak. Their voices with those of 

 the robins filled the air with music, and I was charmed as 

 I watched, and listened, lying flat upon my back — but sud- 

 denly all were silent, and then, like a flash of light, red- 

 wings and robins together beat a precipitate retreat with 

 a pigeon- hawk in pursuit, darting earthward and outward 

 over the meadow and directly over me. 



