THE RETURN OF THE NATIVES. 83 



of the other genera in the family. The range, 

 while upon the ground, is not extensive, and if he 

 moves any considerable distance he uses his wings. 

 He hops, instead of the usual walk of many birds 

 belonging to this group. Once I scared him away, 

 and at the expiration of ten minutes he was back 

 again nearly in the same spot. He has the curious 

 habit of turning first his right flank, and then his 

 left toward me, at each skip, which is done no 

 doubt, the more readily to see what I am about. 

 Now he hides his head in the grass, and digs in 

 the mud with his sharp, stout spade for beetles 

 and earth worms, which are an agreeable change of 

 diet to the usual canter and tent caterpillars. 



What skillful beaks these birds have in weaving 

 the pouch for their nests and fastening them to 

 the tough, pliant branches of the elm ! They have 

 turned the twine-makers to good account, and their 

 crocheting, though it is laughable to note the 

 irregular and unsystematic manner in which it is 

 performed, is a remarkable piece of work. How 

 wonderful, too, that they should have the intelli- 

 gence to reason that, in times of high winds, these 

 flexible twigs will stand the test! Notwithstand- 

 ing this precaution, their children oftentimes get 

 too much rocking, for the storm becoming angry. 



