106 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIEDS. 
when he returned as usual, to roost that night. While out, 
it had evidently found the restorative for which it had been 
pining, and what that might be I now determined, if possi- 
ble, to discover. The necessity of having a pair of the young 
birds that I might be enabled to study their habits more ef- 
fectually, became now more full}^ apparent ; for I knew, 
however tame our bird might be now, that if it happened to 
meet with its old mate or a new one, it would be sure to de- 
sert us, as a matter of course. Young ones, raised by my- 
self, I could trust. 
Chance favored me somewhat strangely about this time. 
I had been out squirrel shooting early one sweltering hot 
morning; and, on my return, had thrown myself beneath 
the shade of a thick hickory, near the bank of a creek. I 
lay on my back, looking listlessly out across the stream, 
when the chirp of the humming bird, and its darting form, 
reached my senses at the same instant. I was sure I saw it 
light upon the limb of a small iron-wood tree, that happened 
to be exactly in the line of my vision at that instant. This 
tree leaned over the water a considerable distance. I thought 
of Le Vallient and watched steadily. 
In about five minutes, another chirp, and another bird dart- 
ed in. I saw this one drop upon what seemed to be a knot on 
an angle of the limb. I heard the soft chirping of greeting and 
love : I could scarcely contain myself for joy. I would have 
given anything in the world to have dared to scream. — " I've 
got you ! IVe got you at last !" By a great struggle, I choked 
down my ecstasy and kept still. One of them now flew away ; 
and, after waiting fifteen minutes, that seemed a week, I rose, 
and with my eye steadily fixed upon that important limb, I 
walked slowly down the bank without, of course, seeing 
where I placed my feet. But, the highest hojDCs are some- 
times doomed to a fall, and a fall mine took with a ven- 
geance ! I caught my foot in a root, and tumbled head fore- 
most down the bank into the water ! I suppose such a duck- 
ing would have cooled the enthusiasm of most bird-nesters ; 
