STRANGE BIRDS. 
67 
feeding ; one of them flew away, but the other remained, coming 
nearer and nearer, from branch to branch, from tree to tree, until 
he reached the fence by which we stood. We were very anx- 
ious to discover what bird it was, for under such circumstances, 
it is tantahzing not to be able to settle the question. We sup- 
posed, at first, that they were strangers, on their way north, for 
about this time, many such transient visitors are passing north- 
ward, and only loitering here and there by the way. It is not 
usual, however, for such birds to travel in pairs, and these seemed 
mated, for after one had flown away down the river, the other 
showed a strong determination to take the same course, as though 
there might be the beginning of a nest in that direction. He made a 
motion toward taking flight, then observing us, stopped ; we stood 
quite still in the walk, the bii^d sitting on the branch for a min- 
ute or more. Then again he made a movement, and took flight in 
the direction which crossed om* path ; but, silly little fellow that 
he was, after flying a yard or two, which brought hun immedi- 
ately before us, where we might easily have struck him with a 
parasol, his courage failed : he continued fluttering on the spot, 
or rather lying-to in the air, as a sailor might say, when, awk- 
wardly changing his direction, he flew back to the very branch he 
had quitted. An unusual manoeuvre this, for a bird ; and strange- 
ly enough, he repeated this proceeding twice, seeming very anx- 
ious to follow his companion down the river, and yet dreading to 
pass so near such formidable creatures as ourselves. Again he 
took flight, again he paused and fluttered just before us, again 
returned to the branch he had left. Silly little thing, he might 
easily have soared far above us, instead of passing so near, or 
sitting on a branch where we could have killed him a dozen times 
