378 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



it could not fall down. I followed him, to make fcure he 

 did it rightly. As soon as we came near the shrub, the 

 mother fluttered all round the Indian, and at last settled 

 down, panting, on her young brood. 



" You're a brave bird !" cried the Indian, " and I ask 

 your pardon for having carried away your house. Don't 

 be afraid, my name is l'Encuerado, and you may safely trust 

 in me. Don't tremble ! I would sooner be hurt myself 

 than cause you the least harm. There, now you are all 

 firmly fixed again, and you may live in peace. Your little 

 ones can tell you that I have not teased them ; I only want- 

 ed to show them to Chanito. Good-bye, Senor Huitzitzi- 

 lin ! you are a brave bird, and it's I, l'Encuerado, who tells 

 you so !" 



And the Indian went away, saluting the valiant mother 

 with so many waves of his hat that the poor bird must 

 have thought her last hour had come. 



" What do these beautiful little birds feed upon, M. Su- 

 michrast?" 



"On the juices of flowers and small insects. Look! 

 there is one hovering, and its wings are moving too fast 

 for us to see them. Don't stir ! I see a branch so covered 

 with blue flowers that it can hardly fail to attract the bird. 

 Now it is settled above one of the corollas, and plunges its 

 head into it without ceasing to beat with its wings. Its 

 cloven tongue soon sucks out the honey concealed in the 

 flower, and its little ones will greet it when it gets back 

 with open beaks to receive their share of the spoil." 



" They are funny birds, those," said l'Encuerado to Lu- 

 cien. " In three months — that is, in October — they will go 

 to sleep, and will not wake up till April." 



" Is that true, father ?" 



" I rather fancy that they migrate." 



" Now don't teach Chanito wrongly," said l'Encuerado, 



