282 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIEDS. 
ing in the fields and had caught from the grass some frag- 
ments of burr. These W was brushing off from my 
dress, when we were attracted by a singular hissing sound, 
resembling that made by a snake. We turned, Bem stood 
upon a stick of fire-wood, one of several which lay in the 
corner, his body straightened almost horizontally with the 
stick, his feathers erect on his whole body, the wings droop- 
ing below his feet, his eyes distended and glistening with 
the fire and animosity of a snake, the bill turned slightly 
upward and partially open, while the hissing continued, 
increasing in vehemence with every movement made by 
W . If he approached him with his hand, Bem would 
dart at it and peck at it with the greatest violence, and seemed 
to think W had not only caused me to absent myself 
from him, but had now become my foe, consequently he must 
protect me. Ever after, he treated W with the most 
malignant expressions of dislike, never permitting him to 
touch me in any possible way. Yet he afterwards, when 
our friend J. W. F visited as, exhibited towards him all 
the confidential affection with which he treated us — making 
it a point to visit him. in his room every morning, to inspect 
his toilet, and going to sleep on his shoulder or head at night. 
But Bem became too human, his little body could not be 
expected long to enshroud the soul which had been develop- 
ing in him. His eye had grown too large, and his intelli- 
gence fearful. He had to suffer too much as men do, and Ave 
loved him too much. Who could have resisted him ? Some- 
times, when I grew sick or sad, and would throw myself on 
a lounge and weep childishly, as I will sometimes, then my 
poor Bem would come to me and peck gently at my fingers, 
gradually increasing the force of his blow until I noticed and 
spoke to him. One day I would not speak to him — his 
efforts were all unheeded — would not be roused. His dis- 
tress was pitiable, his rage unbounded; he imagined that 
something behind me was injuring me, he scolded and beat 
the cushions with his wings and bill; he caressed me by 
